Military Shovel Hinge Locking Mechanism for Safe State Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current military shovels are unsafe due to the shovel head automatically rotating downwards when unlocked, potentially hitting the user, and the locking mechanism is inconvenient to operate, allowing unintended state changes.
Innovation Solution
A military shovel design featuring a hinge shaft with locating holes and protrusions that align and lock the shovel head in specific states (shoveling, hoeing, and folding) to prevent automatic rotation and facilitate easy state transitions, using a locking mechanism and a telescopic locating protrusion with an arc surface and spring for automatic alignment and retraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the shovel head is hinged to rotate freely relative to the shovel handle, then the shovel head can convert among shoveling, hoeing and folding states, but the shovel head automatically rotates downwards when unlocked, potentially hitting the user's hand and causing injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the locating protrusion and locating hole alignment features on the connection head and connection seat before use. These features are预先 designed to guide and limit the shovel head's rotation to specific safe positions (shoveling, hoeing, folding states), preventing uncontrolled automatic rotation that could injure the user's hand while still allowing intentional state conversions.
2Reliability
If the locking mechanism is used to fix the shovel head in each state, then the shovel head can be securely locked, but it is inconvenient for the user to operate the locking mechanism to fix the shovel head
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing the locking mechanism to automatically engage with the pre-positioned locating protrusion and locating hole alignment features. When the shovel head rotates to a desired state, the locking mechanism self-activates to secure the position without requiring manual intervention, thereby maintaining reliable locking while greatly simplifying user operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the shovel head is not limited when unlocked, then the shovel head can rotate freely to convert among states, but the shovel head cannot be pre-limited to specific positions, making it inconvenient to operate the locking mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying preliminary action through the locating protrusion and locating hole alignment features that are pre-configured on the connection head and connection seat. These features establish predetermined safe positions for the shovel head, allowing it to be pre-limited to specific states (shoveling, hoeing, folding) while maintaining ease of operation through automatic locking engagement.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a military shovel, including a shovel head and a shovel handle; a rear end of the shovel head is provided with a connection seat; a front end of the shovel handle is provided with a connection head; the connection seat of the shovel head is hinged to the connection head by a hinge shaft; the military shovel further includes a locking mechanism for fixing the shovel head, the locking mechanism is disposed on the front end of the shovel handle; three locating holes are provided in a sidewall of the connection seat; a locating protrusion is disposed on a sidewall of the connection head; the sidewall of the connection seat where the three locating holes are located is opposite to the sidewall of the connection head where the locating protrusion is located.