Mat Lock Pin Rotor Axial Force Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening devices for large, load-bearing mats require high-strength materials and complex designs to handle both lateral and axial forces, resulting in high costs and limited size due to the need for robust pin bodies and rods.
Innovation Solution
A mat lock pin comprising a rotor with angled surfaces and an outer body that acts as a bushing, allowing the rotor to carry axial forces while the outer body is made of a lower-strength, lower-cost material, reducing the need for high-strength materials in the pin body and rod.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high-strength materials and robust pin bodies are used to handle axial and lateral forces, then the structural integrity and load-bearing capacity are improved, but the material cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening device is divided into two functional segments: a pin body for lateral force resistance and a rod for axial force resistance. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, with the rod being simple and inexpensive while the pin body maintains adequate strength only where needed for lateral loading.
Solution Approach 2:
The axial force-resisting function is extracted from the pin body and assigned to a separate rod component. This extraction eliminates the need for the pin body to be designed for high axial strength, thereby simplifying the pin body design and reducing material costs while maintaining overall structural integrity.
2Strength
If a larger cross-sectional area and high-strength material are used for the pin body, then the axial force capacity is improved, but the material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The axial force-resisting function is extracted from the pin body and assigned to a separate rod component. This extraction eliminates the need for the pin body to be designed for high axial strength, thereby simplifying the pin body design and reducing material costs while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
High-strength material is concentrated only where it is needed (in the rod for axial loading and critical regions of the pin body for lateral loading), while other portions of the structure use lower-strength, lower-cost materials. This local quality approach optimizes material usage and reduces overall cost.
3Strength
If the pin body is designed with sufficient strength to carry axial force, then the axial joining capability is improved, but the rod's cross-sectional area is limited requiring high-strength material
Solution Approach 1:
The axial force-resisting function is extracted from the pin body and assigned to a separate rod component. This extraction eliminates the need for the pin body to be designed for high axial strength, thereby simplifying the pin body design and reducing material costs while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A mat lock pin for releasably holding together overlapping mats has an outer body and a rotor rotatably held within the outer body. The outer body is sized and shaped so as to snugly fit within aligned holes in overlapping mats, and is shaped so as to be non-rotational within the holes. The rotor has a central stem and a foot at each end. When the mat lock pin is in place extending through holes in overlapping mats, the rotor feet are at the outermost surfaces of the mats. Rotation of the rotor brings angled surfaces on the rotor feet to bear against the outermost mat surfaces, generating an axial force forcing the mats together. The axial forces forcing the mats together are carried by the rotor, permitting the outer body to be made of relatively low strength, and low cost, material.