Rotating Harpoon Lock for Sliding Gates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lock devices for sliding gates, particularly large ones, lack mechanical tolerance for thermal distortions, are prone to jamming, and lack effective burglary protection and synchronization with automated gate operations.
Innovation Solution
A rotating harpoon-type snap-acting bolt lock device with a control system that allows wide mechanical tolerance, integrates a Bowden wire remote control, and includes burglary protection features such as a rotating bush and fork-shaped device to prevent tampering, ensuring synchronization with automated gate operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional bolt lock mechanism is used for sliding gates, then the locking function is simple and reliable, but the device cannot tolerate thermal distortions and gate position variations, leading to frequent jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic system where the bolt can rotate around its longitudinal axis. This rotation capability allows the bolt to adapt to variations in gate position and thermal distortions, preventing jamming while maintaining secure locking. The bolt dynamically adjusts its angular position to accommodate dimensional changes in the gate structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the degree of freedom of the bolt from purely translational movement to include rotational movement around its longitudinal axis. This parameter change allows the locking mechanism to accommodate a range of gate positions and dimensional variations, significantly improving adaptability to thermal distortions and installation tolerances.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the lock device is made more complex to accommodate thermal distortions, then the tolerance for gate position is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solution introduces a single rotational degree of freedom to the bolt, which provides an elegant and relatively simple mechanism for accommodating complex dimensional variations. This dynamic adjustment capability achieves high adaptability without requiring multiple components or complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a rotational dimension to the traditionally linear bolt movement. By allowing the bolt to rotate around its longitudinal axis, the system gains an additional degree of freedom that enables it to compensate for thermal distortions and position variations without increasing overall structural complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the lock device allows free rotation of the bolt for tolerance accommodation, then the adaptability is improved, but the security against burglary attempts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a fork-shaped anti-burglary device as an intermediary element between the rotating bolt and potential cutters. This fork-shaped structure, with its protruding teeth, actively interferes with burglary attempts by preventing access to the bolt, thereby neutralizing the security risk created by the bolt's rotational freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-burglary device with its fork-shaped structure and protruding teeth is positioned in advance to prevent potential burglary attempts. The teeth protrude from the bolt surface to create a physical barrier that makes cutting or sawing the bolt extremely difficult, providing preliminary protection before any burglary attempt occurs.
4Ease of operation
If the lock disengagement is operated electrically for automation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the synchronization with gate movement becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates a feedback mechanism where the position of the gate relative to the lock device is detected and used to control the timing of the electrical disengagement signal. This feedback ensures that the lock is only disengaged when the gate is in the correct position, maintaining reliable synchronization between lock operation and gate movement throughout the automated cycle.
Data Source
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AI summary
Lock device, in particular for automated sliding gates, characterized by a harpoon-type bolt element whose head, due to the motion of the closing gate, enters a cavity of a keeper assembly from a properly shaped hole, and is pushed inside a sleeve according to a roto-translation that is controlled by a cam and tappet coupling until a stable state is reached at which the system is locked with the harpoon kept engaged in the keeper assembly and the reverse motion being prevented by the engagement between the anchor of a solenoid and an elongated cavity on the surface of the bolt shaft, in a way that however allows the bolt to tolerate axial displacements consequent to thermal changes or settlements. A proper unlock control logic allow the release of the lock engagement under the control of European profile lock cylinder, or of a mechanical control remotely operated through a Bowden wire, or by an electrically controlled solenoid. A proper control logic ensures that the system operation follows the correct direction of motion of a cyclic state machine, in order to provide proper synchronization with the operation of the gate automation.