Rotating Latch Pin With Wing For Control Center Door
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Solution Overview
Problem
Equipment units in control centers pose safety risks due to internal hardware, requiring secure latching of doors to prevent user exposure while allowing authorized access and preventing accidental removal from structures.
Innovation Solution
A latch pin system with a latch shaft and wing, rotating through open, unit latch, and structure latch positions, using sockets with polarized slots and wing indentations to securely lock the equipment unit door to the unit and structure, utilizing a biasing unit to maintain the latch position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple latch mechanism is used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability is worsened due to insufficient security against accidental opening and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism is segmented into multiple functional components: a latch pin with distinct proximal and distal ends, a unit socket for door latching, and a structure socket for structural mounting. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively providing both ease of operation and high reliability through a multi-stage latching process.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch pin is designed to rotate dynamically between multiple positions (open position, unit latch position, and structure latch position). This dynamic capability allows the single latch mechanism to perform multiple functions: securing the door to the unit, and securing the unit to the structure, thereby improving reliability without compromising ease of operation.
2Reliability
If a secure latching system is implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The latch pin serves multiple functions within a single component design: it latches the door to the unit via the unit socket, latches the unit to the structure via the structure socket, and provides rotational positioning indicators. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate latching mechanisms, thereby improving reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The unit socket and structure socket are integrated into a unified latching system where the single rotating latch pin interacts with both sockets. The sockets are positioned and oriented to work together with the latch pin's rotation, combining multiple latching functions into a coordinated system that achieves high reliability without requiring multiple independent mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the latch pin rotates through multiple positions, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation is worsened due to multiple rotation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism incorporates visual indicators (such as colored bands or markers on the latch pin) that change position or become visible at different rotation positions. These visual cues guide the operator through the rotation process, making it easier to understand and execute the multiple positioning steps required for proper latching, thereby maintaining ease of operation while achieving high adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
For latching an equipment unit door of an equipment unit in a control center, an apparatus includes a latch pin, the unit socket, and a structure socket. The latch pin includes a latch shaft with a latch interface disposed on a pin proximal end and a latch wing disposed on a pin distal end. The latch pin rotates to one of an open position, a unit latch position, and a structure latch position. The unit socket passes the latch wing in the open position and obstructs the latch wing from moving in a proximal direction in the unit latch position. The structure socket passes the latch wing in the unit latch position and obstructs the latch wing from moving in the proximal direction in the structure latch position.