Quarter-Turn Locking Device for Inline Sockets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional locking devices for inline plugs and sockets are difficult to use, lack intuitive operation, and are prone to corrosion and material degradation, compromising their functionality over time.
Innovation Solution
A locking device featuring a quarter-turn screw mechanism with a slider and elastic retention teeth that provides clear locking and release positions, along with a sealing system and toothed profiles for double safety, ensuring easy and reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional locking devices with metal parts are used, then the locking function is achieved, but the metal parts are subject to corrosion which compromises functionality over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic for the locking device components, fundamentally altering the chemical properties to eliminate corrosion susceptibility while maintaining the mechanical locking function through the quarter-turn screw mechanism and elastic member design
Solution Approach 2:
The locking device uses a composite construction combining plastic components (housing, elastic member) with a screw mechanism, creating a hybrid system that achieves both the mechanical locking function and corrosion resistance by eliminating pure metal parts
2Reliability
If conventional locking devices are used, then the locking function is achieved, but the operation is difficult to deduce and not intuitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual indicators including color-coded elements and transparent sections in the housing to show the locking state and guide user operation, making the device's function immediately apparent without requiring prior knowledge
Solution Approach 2:
The locking device is segmented into distinct functional components with clear visual separation, including the quarter-turn screw, elastic member, and housing sections, each with specific visual characteristics that indicate their function and the overall locking state
3Reliability
If conventional locking devices are used, then the locking function is achieved, but the state of locking or release is not unambiguously defined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color-coded indicators and visual markers that change appearance or position between locked and unlocked states, providing unambiguous visual feedback about the current state without requiring technical knowledge to interpret
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates multiple feedback mechanisms including visual indicators, tactile feedback from the elastic member, and positional feedback from the quarter-turn screw mechanism that clearly indicate whether the device is locked or unlocked
4Reliability
If metal parts are used in the locking device, then the locking function is achieved, but they can deteriorate the plastics during use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic for all contact components, eliminating the galvanic corrosion and chemical degradation issues that arise from metal-plastic interactions while maintaining structural integrity through appropriate plastic material selection and design
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 device is quick and intuitive to use, with clear locking and release states, offering enhanced reliability and safety, and can be manufactured using common materials for economic competitiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a blocking portion (12) arranged to interfere with the movement of the grip with respect to the body, and made of an elastic material
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
A locking device including a first member, for example a grip, that is removably connected to a second member, for example the body of an inline socket or plug, by connecting means such as a thread, and a device for locking the movement of the first member with respect to the second member; the locking device includes an actuation screw that controls the position of a bolt member that has at least two operating positions: a locking position, in which the bolt member interferes with the movement of the first member with respect to the second member, and a release position, in which the bolt member does not interfere with the movement.