Profile Disc Door Latch for Short-Rotation Locking Rod Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional door latch systems for rigid cargo barrier doors in vehicles, such as aircraft, require extensive handle revolutions and occupy significant space, making them uncomfortable and costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A door latch apparatus featuring a profile disc with slots and a handle system that allows for a 90-degree or less handle rotation, utilizing sliders and locking rods that move between extended and retracted positions via the slots, reducing the need for extensive handle movement and minimizing space occupation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a planetary gear system is used for the door latch, then the locking function is achieved, but the handle requires a 300-degree revolution making it uncomfortable and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex planetary gear system from the door latch mechanism. Instead of using a planetary gear system that requires 300-degree handle revolution, the invention employs a simplified mechanism with a profile disc and slots that enables locking and unlocking with minimal handle movement, directly addressing the ease of operation problem while reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter from 300-degree handle revolution to a reduced rotation angle (90-degree or less). This parameter change is achieved through the profile disc with slots design, where the slider moves along the curved slot path, transforming the handle's rotational motion into effective locking action with significantly reduced rotation requirements, thereby improving ease of operation
2Ease of manufacture
If a planetary gear system is used for the door latch, then the locking function is achieved, but the mechanism occupies a significant portion of the door frame requiring specific machining
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the space-consuming planetary gear system and replaces it with a compact profile disc and slider mechanism. This extraction of the complex gear system eliminates the need for specific door frame machining while maintaining the locking function, directly addressing both manufacturing ease and space occupation issues
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional planetary gear system to a two-dimensional profile disc with slots. The slider moves along the curved slot path within the plane of the disc, eliminating the need for complex three-dimensional gear interactions. This dimensional simplification reduces the mechanism's volume and eliminates the need for specific door frame machining, improving both manufacturing ease and space efficiency
3Ease of manufacture
If a planetary gear system is used for the door latch, then the locking function is achieved, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the expensive planetary gear system, replacing it with simpler profile disc and slider components. This extraction eliminates the need for costly specific door frame machining and reduces part complexity, directly addressing the production cost issue while maintaining locking functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the system from a complex planetary gear configuration to a simpler profile disc with slots design. This parameter change in the mechanism architecture reduces manufacturing complexity and production costs while achieving the same locking function, directly addressing the cost issue
Data Source
AI summary
A door latch apparatus and associated system and method are disclosed. The door latch apparatus includes a profile disc with a plurality of slots and a central aperture. A handle system, includes a first handle and a second handle, are co-rotatably coupled together, via a rod, that extends through the central aperture, allowing the handle system and the profile disc to be co-rotatable. A plurality of sliders are engaged with the plurality of slots so that, when the profile disc rotates, the plurality of sliders simultaneously slide along the plurality of slots. A plurality of locking rod are coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of sliders, and are linearly movable between an extended rod position and a retracted rod position when the corresponding one of the plurality of sliders slides along the corresponding one of the plurality of slots.