Locking Hook With Gripping Portion For Safe Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hooks with latches are inadequate in providing a secure grip for users, leading to potential injury when handling heavy objects, as the thumb receiving grooves are insufficient for firm handling, causing users to grip the hook body instead, which increases the risk of accidents.
Innovation Solution
A locking hook design featuring a hook member with a gripping portion, a lock member, and a latch member, where the user grips the gripping portion instead of the hook, allowing the lock member to pivot between positions to secure the object, and the latch member moves between lock and unlock positions to prevent accidental release, utilizing a curved path and spring mechanism for secure operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If thumb receiving grooves are provided on the hook body, then the user can grip the hook, but the grip is insufficient for secure handling of heavy objects
Solution Approach 1:
The hook is divided into distinct functional zones: a gripping portion with thumb receiving grooves for safe hand placement, and a body portion for structural function. This segmentation allows the gripping portion to be optimized for safety while the body portion maintains structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping portion acts as an intermediary element between the user's hand and the hook body. It provides a dedicated interface for safe gripping with thumb receiving grooves, preventing direct contact with the body portion and eliminating the need to compromise between grip comfort and safety.
2Ease of operation
If the lock member is made movable to enable locking and unlocking, then the hook can be operated, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lock member is designed to be movable rather than fixed, enabling it to rotate between locked and unlocked positions. This dynamic design provides full locking functionality while maintaining structural simplicity through the use of a single pivoting component with integrated latch and locking surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functions are merged into the single lock member: it serves as the pivoting element, the locking barrier, and the engagement interface. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components needed, achieving operational functionality without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
3Reliability
If the latch member constrains the lock member at the locked position, then accidental release is prevented, but the unlocking operation requires additional force
Solution Approach 1:
The latch member is pre-positioned to engage with the lock member at the locked position, creating a preliminary constraint that prevents accidental release. This preliminary action maintains security while allowing intentional unlocking through deliberate user input that overcomes the latch constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions between different force parameter states: a high-force state when the latch constrains the lock member for security, and a low-force state during intentional unlocking. The latch member acts as a force multiplier that requires significant force to disengage, ensuring only deliberate actions can unlock the hook.
Data Source
AI summary
A locking hook includes a hook member, a lock member, and a latch member. The lock member is pivoted on the first portion of the hook member to be turned between a first position and a second position. The latch member is provided on the operating portion of the hook member to be moved between a lock position and an unlock position to secure and release the lock member. The hook member further has a gripping portion for a user to grip the hook member. Therefore, the user grips the gripping portion instead of the hook member, and this may prevent the user from being hurt accidentally by the object hung on the hook member.