Rapid-Release Latching Arrangement for Rotatable Bolt Wear Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing locking mechanisms in lifting, lashing, and attachment technologies require time-consuming assembly and may lead to one-sided wear of bolts, and often necessitate additional safety elements like dowel pins.

Innovation Solution

A latching arrangement featuring a spring-loaded latching projection on one component that fits into a receptacle with a latching recess, secured by a movable release shoulder accessible via a manual switch, allowing for quick attachment and detachment without additional safety elements and ensuring even wear of the bolt.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a bolt is secured by a clamping sleeve in a circumferential groove, then the bolt can be rotated and avoid one-sided wear, but the assembly becomes time-consuming and requires additional safety elements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeven wear distributionVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the clamping sleeve and additional safety elements from the system, replacing them with a self-retaining bolt design where the bolt head directly engages with the eyelet through a receptacle geometry that prevents removal without requiring separate retaining components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the functions of the bolt head, retaining mechanism, and wear prevention into a single integrated design where the hexagonal bolt head geometry simultaneously provides rotational capability, structural strength, and self-retention within the receptacle, eliminating the need for separate clamping sleeves

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a bolt is secured by a clamping sleeve, then the bolt remains secured even if rotation is restricted, but the clamping sleeve can wear out and become unsecured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecuring reliabilityVSAvoidservice life of securing element
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The bolt design serves itself by using its own hexagonal head geometry to engage with the receptacle walls, creating a self-retaining mechanism that does not depend on separate wearing components like clamping sleeves, thereby eliminating the wear-out failure mode of the securing element

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The receptacle geometry is designed with specific engagement surfaces and dimensions that anticipate and prevent bolt removal before wear can occur, creating a fail-safe design where the bolt remains secured throughout its entire service life without relying on the durability of separate retaining components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Ease of operation

If threads are used to allow the bolt to be screwed through, then the bolt can be rotated and remains secured by the thread, but the threading process adds complexity and time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotational freedomVSAvoidthreading mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the threading mechanism entirely from the system, replacing it with a direct insertion design where the hexagonal bolt head is simply placed into the receptacle and retained by geometry alone, eliminating threads, screwing operations, and associated complexity while maintaining rotational freedom

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If additional safety elements like dowel pins are used, then the securing reliability is improved, but the device complexity and assembly time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecuring reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the securing function into the basic bolt-receptacle connection geometry, where the hexagonal head engagement with the receptacle walls provides inherent retention without requiring separate dowel pins or safety elements, thereby reducing component count while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The hexagonal bolt head serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural strength, enables rotational freedom, and creates self-retention through engagement with the receptacle geometry, eliminating the need for specialized additional safety components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables rapid and secure connection/disconnection of components with even bolt wear, eliminating the need for clamping sleeves and additional safety elements, while maintaining secure locking and easy release mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

a first component (2) which is provided at one end with at least one laterally projecting, spring-loaded latching projection (20)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3356696B1Rapidly releasable latching arrangement for a component from lifting, lashing or fastening technology
Publication Date: 2021.04.07 RUD KETTENFABRIK RIEGER & DIETZ GMBH & CO
  • EP3356696B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3356696B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3356696B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a latching arrangement (1), in particular for a component (6) from lifting, lashing or fastening technology. The latching arrangement comprises a first component (2) which is provided at its one end (32) with at least one laterally protruding, spring-tensioned latching projection (20). Furthermore, the latching arrangement (1) comprises a second component (4) which is provided with a receptacle (50) in which the end (32) of the first component (2) can be received in an insertion direction (18) and can be fastened rotatably. The receptacle (50) has a latching recess (52) for the latching projection (20). The latching recess is bounded on at least one side by a release shoulder (58) which is displaceable into the latching recess (52). The release shoulder is connected in a movement-transmitting manner or rigidly in terms of movement, in particular monolithically, to a movable hand switch (80) which is arranged so as to be accessible from outside the latching arrangement (1). The hand switch (80) closes the receptacle. In this embodiment, the first component is latched rotatably in the second component. By simple actuation of the hand switch (80), the latching can be repeatedly and easily released.