Quick-Release Structure with Hidden Drive Lever
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bicycle quick-release structures are cumbersome to use due to the need to adjust the drive lever's angle for locking, and the drive lever is exposed, posing safety risks and the risk of accidental loosening.
Innovation Solution
A drive lever is inserted through a slot in a circular shaft head with engaging members and a magnetic member, allowing it to be hidden when not in use, eliminating the need for angle adjustment and reducing exposure by using guide grooves and steel balls for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drive lever is exposed for easy access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety and risk of accidental loosening deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The drive lever is extracted from its traditional exposed position and integrated into the shaft head structure. The lever is now housed within a cavity in the shaft head, with only the operating end accessible through an opening. This extraction eliminates the safety hazards of accidental contact while preserving operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive lever is nested within the shaft head structure. The lever body is received in a cavity formed in the shaft head, with the lever's operating end accessible through an opening in the shaft head. This nesting arrangement protects the lever from accidental contact while maintaining ease of operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drive lever angle is adjustable for proper locking, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The drive lever and slot are designed with asymmetric orientations that automatically align during installation. The slot in the shaft head and the lever's guide groove are positioned at specific asymmetric angles that ensure proper alignment when the lever is inserted, eliminating the need for manual angle adjustment while maintaining adaptability to different wheel sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The proper angle and orientation of the drive lever and slot are predetermined during the design and manufacturing process. The components are pre-aligned at the correct angles before assembly, so that when the lever is inserted into the shaft head, it automatically assumes the correct operational position without requiring user adjustment.
3Ease of operation
If the drive lever is exposed, then the ease of operation is improved, but the harmful factors from erroneous touching increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drive lever is extracted from its exposed position and relocated into a protected cavity within the shaft head. Only the operating end of the lever remains accessible through a controlled opening, which minimizes the surface area vulnerable to erroneous touching while preserving the ability to operate the lever intentionally.
Solution Approach 2:
The design converts the potential harm of exposed levers into a benefit by using the shaft head structure itself as protective housing. The cavity and opening arrangement ensures that only deliberate operations can engage the lever, while accidental contacts are prevented by the enclosed structure.
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 solution simplifies the locking process, enhances safety by hiding the drive lever, and prevents accidental loosening, making the quick-release mechanism more user-friendly and secure.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic member disposed in the shaft. When in use, the drive lever is pulled outward to disengage from the magnetic member
Data Source
AI summary
A quick-release structure includes a shaft having a through hole and a circular magnetic member in the through hole; a circular shaft head having a slot at a front end thereof and two side holes; a stop ring connected with the circular shaft head screwed to the shaft; a drive lever having a lever head and a lever body, two sides of the drive lever having guide grooves respectively, the lever body being inserted into the through hole, the lever head being inserted into the slot and a distal end of the lever body is attracted by the magnetic member; and two engaging members screwed to the side holes and leaning against the guide grooves, the drive lever being movable along the guide grooves, the engaging members functioning as a pivot so that the drive lever can be turned left and right to rotate the shaft.