Protected Locking Pin Structure With Sealed Internal Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locking pins with exposed locking mechanisms fail to meet increased hygiene demands in hygienically sensitive industries, as they are prone to contamination and breakage, and do not adhere to hygienic design standards.
Innovation Solution
The locking mechanism is relocated to a sealed interior within the actuator button, with the guide sleeve extending into a central bore, forming a sealed second guide sleeve, ensuring all components are protected from external contaminants and integrated as a single, sealed unit, using materials like polished stainless steel and secure connections to prevent radial exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the locking mechanism is exposed on the outside of the guide sleeve, then the locking mechanism is easily accessible and operable, but it is prone to contamination and does not meet hygiene requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is nested within the actuator button, which itself is integrated into the guide sleeve. This nested configuration allows the locking mechanism to remain accessible through the actuator button interface while being protected from contamination by its enclosed position within the sealed actuator button structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator button serves as a sealed enclosure (shell) that protects the locking mechanism from external contaminants. The rod seal acts as a flexible sealing element that maintains the barrier between the sterile internal environment and the external environment, allowing the locking mechanism to be protected while remaining functional.
2Ease of manufacture
If the locking mechanism components are exposed on the radial outer circumference, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the components are prone to breakage and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism components are merged with the actuator button to form an integrated unit. The locking sleeve, locking lugs, and actuator button are configured as a unified structure where the locking mechanism is housed within the actuator button, providing both structural simplicity and enhanced protection against breakage and contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism components are nested within the actuator button, which is itself nested within the guide sleeve. This nested arrangement provides multiple layers of protection while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that is easy to manufacture as an integrated assembly.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the locking mechanism is sealed inside the actuator button, then hygiene requirements are met and contamination is prevented, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism and actuator button are merged into an integrated unit, eliminating the need for separate sealed housings or additional sealing components. This integration achieves the sealing function while minimizing structural complexity, as the actuator button itself serves as the sealed enclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator button serves as a sealed shell that encloses the locking mechanism. The rod seal provides the necessary sealing function with a simple flexible element, avoiding the need for complex sealing mechanisms while effectively preventing contamination.
4Reliability
If the guide sleeve has axial extensions forming a sealed second guide sleeve, then the locking mechanism is fully protected, but the manufacturing process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The first guide sleeve and second guide sleeve are merged into a single integrated component, with the axial extensions forming the sealed structure in one manufacturing process. This integration eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of multiple guide sleeve components, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide sleeve is configured as a composite structure with axial extensions that form the sealed second guide sleeve. This composite configuration, where different sections of the same component serve different functions (guidance and sealing), achieves reliable sealing while simplifying the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for separate parts.
Data Source
AI summary
A locking pin with a locking mechanism (8, 27, 28) that has a guide sleeve (3) that can be attached to a machine part, and a pin (2) connected to an actuator button (6), which passes through a central bore (14) in the actuator button (6), and which can be axially displaced and secured in a hole in the guide sleeve (3) counter to and by means of the force of a compression spring (7) by actuating the actuator button (6), wherein the pin (2) can be brought into at least two locking positions in the guide sleeve (3) by means of the locking mechanism (8, 27, 28) located in the central bore (17), wherein the locking mechanism (8, 27, 28) is sealed in the central bore (14) of the actuator button (6) in the region of a second guide sleeve (12) that is coaxial to the first guide sleeve (3) and connected thereto, and is composed of a locking sleeve (8) secured to the actuator button (6), the sleeve extension (15) of which forms a locking contour (28) in conjunction with a locking recess (27) located in the region of the second guide sleeve (12).