Pipe Fitting Stand Locking Mechanism for Binding-Free Leg Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe fitting stands lack an efficient mechanism for coordinated movement of legs between deployed and stowed positions, often resulting in binding issues during deployment.
Innovation Solution
A pipe fitting stand with a locking mechanism featuring a latch handle and multiple locking members, allowing for coordinated and binding-free movement of legs between positions through delayed disengagement of locking members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking mechanism with multiple locking members is used to secure legs in deployed position, then the stability and reliability of the stand is improved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into multiple independent locking members (first locking member for first leg, second locking member for second leg) that can be controlled separately. This segmentation allows each locking member to independently secure its corresponding leg, providing reliable stability while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The single latch handle serves multiple functions by controlling both the first and second locking members through a unified operation. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate controls needed, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the reliability benefits of multiple locking members.
2Ease of operation
If all locking members disengage simultaneously when the latch handle is moved, then the operation is simple, but binding occurs during leg movement
Solution Approach 1:
The linkage mechanism is designed so that when the latch handle is moved to disengage the locking members, the first locking member disengages before the second locking member. This preliminary action sequence ensures that legs can deploy in the correct order without binding, while still requiring only a single simple operation of the latch handle to initiate the process.
Solution Approach 2:
A linkage mechanism acts as an intermediary between the single latch handle and the multiple locking members. This intermediary translates the single latch operation into a coordinated sequence of locking member disengagement, maintaining ease of operation while preventing binding through controlled timing.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the legs are linked to move together between positions, then the coordination of leg movement is improved, but binding occurs due to simultaneous locking member disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
The linkage mechanism incorporates preliminary action by designing the disengagement sequence so that the first locking member releases before the second locking member. This ensures that legs can begin moving in the correct sequence without binding, maintaining coordinated movement while enabling smooth deployment operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static simultaneous disengagement design to a dynamic sequential disengagement design. The linkage mechanism allows the locking members to disengage at different times based on the movement progression, enabling smooth coordinated leg deployment without binding while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe fitting stand for supporting a pipe during a work operation, the pipe fitting stand including a table, a plurality of legs coupled to the table and linked to each other to move together between respective deployed and stowed positions, and a locking mechanism including a latch handle and a plurality of locking members for the plurality of legs. A single motion of the latch handle of the locking mechanism in an unlocking direction is operable to disengage the plurality of locking members from the plurality of legs. The single motion of the latch handle provides a delayed disengagement of at least one of the plurality of legs compared to the other of the plurality of legs to prevent binding when the linked plurality of legs move toward their respective deployed positions.