Remote Release Buckle Mechanism for Snag-Free Emergency Exit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety belt and harness systems require physical access to a buckle for release, which can be inconvenient or impossible in certain situations, leading to potential snagging or difficulty in emergency scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A remotely releaseable buckle assembly with a housing, locking bar, and latch mechanism that allows release via a cord or cable, enabling the latch to be drawn away from the buckle without direct access, including a circular cross-section latch that can rotate and be released from an animal collar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional buckle is used that requires physical access for release, then the locking mechanism is simple and reliable, but it becomes inconvenient or impossible to release when not immediately accessible
Solution Approach 1:
The buckle mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a locking bar with spring mechanism for securing, and a release cord/cable system for actuation. This segmentation allows the release function to be operated remotely while the locking function remains simple and reliable.
Solution Approach 2:
A release cord or cable acts as an intermediary element that transmits the release force from a remote location to the locking bar. This intermediary allows the user to trigger the release mechanism without physically accessing the buckle, resolving the contradiction between ease of release and operational accessibility.
2Reliability
If the latch is held securely by spring tension, then the locking reliability is high, but it requires more force to release the mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The locking bar is designed to move dynamically between locked and unlocked positions. The spring provides continuous locking force for reliability, while the release cord/cable system applies force to overcome this spring tension and move the locking bar to the unlocked position, enabling release despite the held spring tension.
3Reliability
If the latch is retained in the housing by a blocking bar under spring tension, then the latch cannot be accidentally released, but the release mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The release cord or cable is extracted as a separate, accessible element that extends from the housing, allowing remote actuation of the release mechanism. This extraction enables the user to trigger the release from a distance without needing to access the internal blocking bar or latch components directly.
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 secure and convenient release of safety belts or animal leashes from a distance, preventing snagging and facilitating easy exit or animal handling without reaching the buckle, while maintaining structural integrity under static loads and ensuring proper engagement.
Implementation Method 1
a compression spring urging the blocking bar into the housing
Implementation Method 2
A cord is attached to the locking bar, and allows a user to draw the locking bar away from the latch, allowing the latch to move laterally and withdraw from the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A buckle assembly includes a housing enclosing a locking bar for securing a latch. The latch is inserted into a latch cavity of the buckle assembly, pushing the spring-loaded locking bar into the housing until a convex feature of the latch passes a convex feature of the latch cavity, and slides to the side, whereupon the locking bar is extended by a compression spring, thereby locking the latch from release from the buckle assembly. The latch is released from the latch cavity by pulling a release cord or cable or trigger attached to the locking bar to overcome the spring tension and draw the locking bar up, thus allowing the latch to move away from the convex feature of the latch cavity and release from the buckle assembly.