Rotary Lever Lock Spring-Free Cage Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary bolt, swivel lever, and socket wrench locks rely on springs for retention, which are prone to rust and cumbersome to assemble, posing risks in metal component usage, especially in switch cabinets where loose metal parts can cause short circuits.
Innovation Solution
A rotary bolt lock design that eliminates the need for springs by integrating a U-shaped cage with the latch tongue, allowing for different materials like metal and plastic, and using a knurled nut with a U-shaped cage to prevent rotation and vibration-induced nut displacement, ensuring secure assembly without metal components as loose parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring is used to hold the rotary bolt in a fixed position, then the locking function is achieved, but the assembly becomes cumbersome and the spring is prone to rust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring component entirely from the locking mechanism. Instead of using a spring to hold the rotary bolt in position, the invention employs a plastic nut with a retaining ring that mechanically secures the bolt through a cage structure, eliminating the problematic spring element that caused rust and assembly difficulties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a plastic nut and retaining ring as intermediary components between the rotary bolt and the housing. These components serve the function of holding the bolt in position without requiring a spring, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.
2Strength
If metal components are used in the locking mechanism, then the strength and durability are improved, but the risk of short circuits in switch cabinets increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite material solution by using a plastic nut and retaining ring instead of metal components in areas where loose parts could cause short circuits. The plastic materials provide sufficient strength for the application while eliminating the electrical conductivity that would lead to short circuit risks in switch cabinet environments.
3Ease of manufacture
If the nut is made loose for easy assembly, then the assembly process is simplified, but the nut may rotate or displace under vibration loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a retaining ring that is pre-positioned on the rotary bolt before assembly. This preliminary action ensures that when the plastic nut is screwed onto the bolt, the retaining ring is already in place to prevent rotation and displacement, thereby maintaining stability without complicating the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining ring acts as an intermediary element between the nut and the rotary bolt, providing the necessary anti-rotation and anti-displacement functionality while allowing the nut to remain accessible for assembly and adjustment.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1E
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C
AI summary
The invention relates to a rotary lever lock comprising a housing (12) having an internally rotatable but axially fixed actuating shaft (14). The free end (30) of said shaft has a circumferential thread (24) and at least one axially oriented flattened section (26). The rotary lever lock also comprises a rotary lever (28) that can be pushed onto the free end (30) of the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner in at least one rotational position, said lever being axially supported on a nut (32) that can be screwed onto the circumferential thread (24). The rotary lever lock is characterised in that the nut (32) is surrounded by a cage (48) forming a laterally accessible space (46) that is delimited by two walls (42, 44). Each wall has a prismatic opening (40) that allows the shaft (30) to be pushed through in a torsionally rigid manner.