Quick Release Buckle Single Finger Actuation Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional quick release buckles require coordinated motion of two fingers to release, posing inconvenience and risk of finger entrapment, and there is a need for a buckle that can be released with a single finger motion while ensuring safety and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A quick release buckle design featuring an entry portion and a housing portion that can be releasably secured with a single finger motion, utilizing bump elements and voids to resist unintended disengagement, and configured for audible confirmation of locking and unlocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional side release buckles use exposed openings for prong engagement, then the buckle can be reliably locked, but the risk of finger entrapment increases and user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful feature (exposed openings) from the buckle design by replacing it with a covered button interface. The button is positioned such that when pressed, it actuates the release mechanism through internal linkages, eliminating the need for users to insert fingers into exposed openings. This maintains locking reliability while removing the finger entrapment hazard.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the button and its associated linkages) that mediates between the user's action and the release mechanism. Instead of directly manipulating the locking components, the user presses the button, which then triggers the release through a series of connected elements, providing a safe and convenient interface.
2Reliability
If conventional buckles require coordinated motion of two fingers for release, then the locking mechanism is secure, but the operation becomes inconvenient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex coordinated finger motion requirement from the release mechanism by implementing a single-button interface. Pressing the button initiates a sequence of internal movements that automatically disengage the locking components, reducing the release action to a simple single-finger press and significantly reducing release time.
Solution Approach 2:
The button is pre-positioned and pre-configured to initiate the release sequence. When pressed, it immediately triggers the disengagement mechanism through pre-established linkages, eliminating the need for users to figure out complex coordination patterns and reducing the cognitive and physical time required for release.
3Ease of manufacture
If the buckle design uses simple engagement features, then the manufacturing is easier, but the resistance to unintended disengagement decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the engagement mechanism into distinct functional elements: the button, the linkages, and the locking components. This segmentation allows each element to be manufactured independently using simple processes, while their coordinated interaction provides robust resistance to unintended disengagement. The modular design maintains manufacturing ease while achieving high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a locking arrangement that includes an entry element and a housing element, the entry element having a portion that is selectively disposable in the housing element via a movement of the portion of the entry element and the housing element relatively toward one another in an insertion direction, the entry element and the housing element being in a releasably secured disposition when the portion of the entry element has been disposed in the housing element via a movement of the portion of the entry element and the housing element relatively toward one another in the insertion direction and the entry element and the housing element being releasable from their releasably secured disposition via a movement in a release direction that is other than a direction opposite to the insertion direction.