Ring Lock Status Indicator via Shackle Position
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ring locks for wheeled vehicles, such as bicycles, make it difficult for users to determine if the lock is engaged, leading to a need for improved status indicators.
Innovation Solution
A ring lock design featuring a housing, shackle, lock mechanism, and indicator, where the shackle moves between closed and open positions, and the indicator selectively displays an indicium to indicate the lock's state, being visible when closed and obscured when open.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If no indicator is provided, then the device complexity is reduced, but the user cannot determine the lock state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color changes through a transparent housing that allows visual detection of the shackle's position. When the shackle is in the locked position, it blocks light, making the housing appear opaque or changing its visual appearance. When unlocked, light passes through, making the housing transparent. This color/opacity change mechanism provides clear lock state information without requiring additional complex indicator components.
2Ease of operation
If a status indicator is added, then the user can determine lock state, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism itself serves as the indicator by utilizing its own operational state to provide visual feedback. The shackle's position (locked or unlocked) automatically determines the housing's visual appearance through light blocking or transmission. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate indicator mechanisms, maintaining ease of operation while minimizing added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it protects the internal components, allows the shackle to move freely, and simultaneously acts as the status indicator through its optical properties. By making the housing transparent or opaque based on shackle position, it performs both structural and informational functions, reducing the need for additional dedicated indicator components.
Data Source
AI summary
An example ring lock generally includes a housing, a shackle, a lock mechanism, and an indicator. The shackle is mounted to the housing for movement between a first position and a second position. The lock mechanism is configured to selectively retain the shackle in at least one of the first position or the second position. The indicator is operable to selectively display an indicium related to an open/closed state of the ring lock. The indicator is configured to display the indicium when the shackle is in the first position, and is configured to not display the indicium when the shackle is in the second position.