Pin Grabber Coupler With Safety Lock And Latching Hook
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing couplers for machines like excavators and backhoes can unintentionally release implements, leading to potential damage or injury due to improper engagement of mounting pins, which is a safety and operational concern.
Innovation Solution
A coupler mechanism featuring safety locks and a latching hook actuated by a hydraulic cylinder, ensuring secure engagement and preventing unintentional decoupling by using ratchet faces and torsion springs to maintain engagement even in case of hydraulic system failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple coupler mechanism is used for quick coupling and decoupling, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unintentional release
Solution Approach 1:
The coupler mechanism is divided into distinct functional components: a coupler body, a latching hook for positive engagement, and safety locks with ratchet faces for preventing unintentional release. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while working together to resolve the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety locks are designed with ratchet faces that engage with the coupler body to prevent unintentional release before it can occur. The ratchet mechanism provides preliminary anti-action against unintended decoupling while allowing intentional release when the operator activates the decoupling mechanism. This resolves the contradiction by proactively preventing harmful unintended release while maintaining ease of intentional operation.
2Reliability
If safety locks with ratchet faces are added to prevent unintentional release, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety locks are integrated into the coupler body structure, merging the safety function with the existing coupler components. The ratchet faces are formed as part of the coupler body rather than being separate attached components, which reduces overall device complexity while maintaining the reliability enhancement provided by the safety locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The ratchet mechanism provides self-locking functionality where the safety locks automatically engage and maintain engagement without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems. The mechanical ratchet face design inherently prevents unintentional release through its one-way engagement characteristic, reducing the need for sophisticated control mechanisms and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Reliability
If a latching hook mechanism is added to secure engagement, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The latching hook is pre-positioned within the coupler body, ready to automatically engage with the implement pin when the implement is inserted. This preliminary positioning of the latching hook ensures secure engagement occurs automatically during the coupling process without requiring additional manual operations, thereby maintaining ease of operation while improving reliability through secure latched engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The latching hook acts as an intermediary element between the coupler body and the implement pin, providing a positive mechanical latch that ensures secure engagement. This intermediary latching mechanism automatically engages when the implement is inserted, providing reliable securement without requiring the operator to perform additional manual latching operations, thus maintaining ease of operation.
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
The mechanism ensures secure coupling and decoupling of implements without operator intervention, preventing unexpected releases and maintaining safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The safety lock includes a torsion spring that engages the mounting pin of the implement
Implementation Method 2
A latching hook and cylinder mount links are pivotally coupled to the coupler and to each other, respectively, with the cylinder end of the hydraulic cylinder coupled to the cylinder mount links
Data Source
AI summary
Coupler has a safety lock and a latching hook. The safety lock pivots between an unlocked position in which it does not contact a first implement pin receivable within a pair of apertures, and a locked position in which it retains the first pin within the apertures. The latching hook pivots between an unlatched position in which it does not contact a second implement pin receivable within another pair of apertures, and a latched position in which it retains the second pin within the apertures. A spring biases the safety lock toward the locked position, maintaining engagement of the safety lock with the first pin and preventing its withdrawal from the apertures in the event of a hydraulic system failure. When the implement is released, the spring continues to bias the safety lock toward the locked position, preventing withdrawal of the first pin from the apertures in the event of a hydraulic system failure before completion of the release operation.