Safety Hook Co-Rotating Lock Mechanism for Accidental Opening Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional safety hooks lack a reliable mechanism to securely lock and unlock the latch unit, which can lead to accidental opening or failure to open when needed.
Innovation Solution
A safety hook design incorporating a main body, first and second pivot members, a latch unit, an operable unit, and a safety lock unit, where the safety lock unit co-rotates with the operable unit to transition from a locked to an unlocked position, allowing the latch unit to pivot from a closed to an open position, utilizing elastic members to maintain and restore positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional latch unit is used without a safety lock mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of secure locking is compromised leading to accidental opening
Solution Approach 1:
The safety lock unit and latch unit are merged into a single integrated mechanism that shares a common pivot axis. The safety lock lever and latch lever are combined such that they rotate together about the same pivot member, eliminating the need for separate pivot points and reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining dual-functionality for both locking and latching operations
Solution Approach 2:
The operable unit serves multiple functions: it directly operates the latch unit for opening/closing operations, and simultaneously operates the safety lock unit for locking/unlocking operations. This multi-functional design allows a single user interface to control both security functions without requiring separate control mechanisms
2Reliability
If a safety lock unit with multiple pivot members is used, then the secure locking reliability is improved, but the device complexity and number of parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety lock unit and latch unit share a common pivot member, reducing the total number of pivot points from multiple separate pivots to a single shared pivot. This merging of pivot functions maintains the mechanical advantage and reliability of the safety lock mechanism while significantly simplifying the overall structure and reducing the number of components that require assembly and maintenance
3Reliability
If the safety lock unit uses a complex multi-component structure, then the secure locking is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The safety lock lever and latch lever are merged into a single rotatable assembly that moves as one unit about a common pivot. This integration allows the user to operate both the safety lock and latch functions through a single motion, eliminating the need for separate manual operations for each component and significantly improving ease of use while maintaining secure locking through the coordinated action of both levers
4Reliability
If conventional latch units without integrated safety lock are used, then the manufacturing precision requirements are reduced, but the reliability of preventing accidental opening worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The safety lock unit and latch unit are merged to share a common pivot member and pivot axis, which consolidates the alignment requirements into a single reference point. This merging reduces the cumulative alignment errors that would occur with multiple separate pivot points, as all components are referenced to the same pivot center, thereby reducing overall manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining reliable accidental opening prevention
Data Source
AI summary
A safety hook includes a main body defining an inner space and an opening, a latch unit pivoted to the main body, an operable unit pivoted to the main body, and a safety lock unit. The latch unit is normally at a closed position for blocking the opening. When the operable unit is pressed, the safety lock unit is co-rotatable with the operable unit with respect to the main body from a locked position, where the safety lock unit abuts against the latch unit to retain the latch unit at the closed position, to an unlocked position, where the safety lock unit is removed from the latch unit to allow the latch unit to rotate from the closed position to an opened position allowing access into the inner space through the opening.