Rotary Handle Coupling With Stepless Adjustment and Torque Limiting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary handle coupling devices face challenges in providing a reliable and efficient connection between components at a variable axial distance with minimal assembly and disassembly effort, while also requiring torque limitation to prevent damage from excessive user input.
Innovation Solution
A rotary handle coupling device featuring a coupling unit with conical surface coupling and a deformable coupling element made of soft material, allowing for stepless adjustment and torque limitation through a user-operable tensioning unit, enabling the device to be selectively decoupled or coupled, and incorporating a clamping unit for adjusting the coupling unit between positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid coupling device is used to connect the rotary handle body to the rotary-adjustable unit, then the connection is stable and reliable, but the device cannot accommodate variable axial distances and requires significant assembly effort
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is divided into multiple segments including a coupling element with coupling arms, a coupling body, and adjustable components. This segmentation allows each part to be independently manufactured and assembled, reducing overall assembly effort while maintaining connection reliability through precise interfacing of the segmented components.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device incorporates dynamic elements such as spring-loaded coupling arms and adjustable coupling bodies that can adapt their configuration during assembly and operation. This dynamic capability enables the device to accommodate variable axial distances between the rotary handle body and rotary-adjustable unit while maintaining reliable torque transmission.
2Reliability
If the coupling unit is always in the coupling position, then torque transmission is secure, but the rotary handle body cannot be adjusted relative to the rotary-adjustable unit
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling unit is designed with movable coupling arms and adjustable coupling bodies that can transition between coupled and uncoupled states. This dynamic design allows the system to switch between secure torque transmission (when coupled) and adjustable configuration (when uncoupled), enabling both reliable operation and ease of adjustment as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the rotary handle body and the rotary-adjustable unit. It provides a controlled interface that can selectively engage or disengage, allowing adjustment when disengaged and secure torque transmission when engaged, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of adjustability and torque security.
3Ease of operation
If the coupling unit allows continuous rotational adjustment, then the rotary handle body can be precisely positioned, but torque limitation capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is segmented into adjustment mechanisms and torque limitation mechanisms that operate independently. The coupling arms and coupling body allow continuous rotational adjustment for precise positioning, while separate torque-limiting elements (such as friction elements or over-center mechanisms) provide torque protection, enabling both precision positioning and torque limitation simultaneously.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a deformable coupling element made of soft material is used, then the coupling can accommodate misalignment and variable distances, but the torque transmission capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device employs composite construction combining soft deformable materials (such as rubber or elastomers) with rigid structural elements (such as metal coupling arms and bodies). The soft material portions accommodate misalignment and variable axial distances through elastic deformation, while the rigid composite structure maintains sufficient torque transmission capacity by providing the primary load-bearing path.
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 functionally reliable, user-friendly, and stepless adjustment of the rotary handle body relative to the adjustable unit with minimal manufacturing effort, while limiting torque to prevent damage, facilitating continuous adjustment and secure coupling.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable coupling element (3) made of a soft material, wherein in the coupling position (1b), the coupling unit (1) is deformed relative to an initial position (1a)
Data Source
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Figure 14
AI summary
Rotary handle coupling device for rotary coupling of a user-operated rotary handle body with a rotatable unit and onto a sanitary valve device equipped therewith, wherein the rotary handle coupling device includes a coupling unit (1) which is optionally adjustable to a decoupling position or a coupling position (1b), which comprises a conical surface coupling (2) and/or a deformable coupling element (3) made of a soft material, wherein in the decoupling position the coupling unit allows stepless relative rotational adjustment of the rotary handle body and the rotatable unit and in the coupling position rotatably couples the rotary handle body with the rotatable unit, and a user-adjustable clamping unit (4) acting on the coupling unit, with which the coupling unit can be adjusted between its decoupling position and its coupling position.