Magnetic Retention Assemblies for Modular Material Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Material storage containers are limited by modularity and ease of refilling, as they can be heavy, large, and difficult to retain in place.
Innovation Solution
A retention assembly with an actuator and locking component, featuring a magnet, allows for easy locking and unlocking of material containers using magnetic alignment and bias elements, enabling quick attachment and detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If material storage containers are made large and heavy to increase storage capacity, then storage volume is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in handling and refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The material storage system is divided into modular components: a retention assembly mounted to the vehicle and removable material containers. This segmentation allows the storage capacity to be increased by adding more containers without making each individual container cumbersome to handle. The containers can be independently removed and refilled, solving the ease of operation problem while maintaining large total storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the vehicle and material containers. It provides a standardized interface with locking components that facilitate easy attachment and detachment of containers. This intermediary structure enables quick container exchange without requiring manual manipulation of heavy contents, thus improving ease of refilling while preserving large storage capacity.
2Volume of moving object
If material storage containers are made large to increase storage capacity, then storage volume is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to difficulty in retaining containers in place
Solution Approach 1:
The retention system is segmented into a fixed retention assembly mounted to the vehicle and removable material containers. This segmentation allows the retention assembly to provide stable, reliable anchoring points while the containers maintain their large storage volume. The locking components create secure mechanical connections that ensure reliable retention even when containers are fully loaded and heavy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple mechanical friction-based retention with a positive locking mechanism featuring locking components and locked positions. This mechanical substitution provides reliable retention by creating deterministic locked/unlocked states rather than relying on friction alone. The locking components engage with specific features on the containers to prevent movement, ensuring reliability while accommodating large storage volume containers.
3Ease of operation
If quick release mechanisms are added to improve ease of operation, then ease of detachment is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional locking components
Solution Approach 1:
The retention assembly incorporates self-latching locking components that automatically engage when a material container is placed in the correct position. This self-service feature provides quick release capability without requiring complex manual operations. The locking components are designed to snap into locked positions automatically, reducing the need for additional actuators or complex control mechanisms while maintaining ease of detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential locking function into discrete, simple locking components that can be independently engaged and disengaged. Rather than implementing a complex integrated locking system, the design takes out the locking function into separate elements that interact through simple geometric features. This extraction reduces overall device complexity while maintaining quick release capability through straightforward locked/unlocked state transitions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates quick and easy locking and unlocking of material containers, allowing for efficient refilling and reliable retention without continuous manual manipulation.
Implementation Method 1
The actuator is movable to move the locking component between a locked position and an unlocked position. The retention assembly includes a magnet coupled to the actuator.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to retention assemblies for material storage systems, and related material containers and methods. In one or more embodiments, a retention assembly includes an actuator mounted to a retention housing, and a locking component coupled to the actuator. The actuator is movable to move the locking component between a locked position and an unlocked position. The retention assembly includes a magnet coupled to the actuator.