Locking Hinge With Multi-Depth Detents for Quiet Secure Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locking joints in orthotics and prosthetics, such as knee orthoses, fail to effectively prevent pivoting movement in the flexion direction when the knee does not reach full extension due to limited mobility or stumbling, leading to potential falls, and suffer from high wear and noise due to sliding over toothed sections.
Innovation Solution
A locking joint design with a locking element that penetrates to different depths in multiple detent positions, featuring steps on the side surfaces, allowing pre-engagement before full extension, reducing wear and noise by eliminating sliding over teeth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a toothed section is used for locking engagement, then the locking joint can prevent pivoting movement, but the locking element slides over individual teeth causing high wear and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The locking recess is segmented into multiple detent positions with steps, allowing the locking element to engage at discrete positions rather than sliding continuously over teeth. This segmentation transforms the continuous sliding motion into discrete engagement points, eliminating wear and noise associated with sliding over individual teeth while maintaining locking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the toothed section mechanical system with a smooth locking recess featuring steps. Instead of the locking element sliding over individual teeth in a traditional gear-like mechanism, it engages with stepped surfaces that provide detent positions, substituting a noisy, high-wear mechanical sliding system with a quieter, lower-wear stepped engagement system.
2Reliability
If the locking element engages only at full extension, then the locking position is secure, but the joint cannot provide support if the knee does not reach full extension
Solution Approach 1:
The locking recess includes a first detent position that engages before full extension is reached, providing preliminary locking action. This allows the joint to provide support and stability even when the knee does not achieve full extension, while still allowing the second detent position at full extension for secure locked positioning when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking system is made dynamic by providing multiple detent positions that can be engaged depending on the joint's position. The locking element can engage at different depths corresponding to different joint angles, allowing the system to adapt to varying functional requirements - providing support at intermediate positions and secure locking at full extension.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a locking hinge (1) with a first component (2) and a second component (4) which are mounted against each other in a pivotal manner relative to each other about a pivot axis. The first component (2) has a latching recess (8), and the second component (4) has a latching element (6) which is designed to penetrate the latching recess (8) in a latching position of the first component (2) relative to the second component (4), thus preventing a pivoting movement of the first component (2) relative to the second component (4) in at least one direction. The latching element (6) is designed to penetrate the latching recess (8) to different depths in at least two different latching positions.