Sealed Locking Fixture for Hygienic Environments

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing locking fixtures in hygienic environments, such as those in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, lack adequate sealing against dust and liquids, compromising hygiene standards.

Innovation Solution

The locking fixture is designed with a sealed housing where the actuator shaft passes through in a sealed manner, and a rotation limiter is integrated within the sealed housing bore, ensuring that no parts are exposed to external contaminants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a traditional locking fixture with an actuator shaft and rotation limiter is used, then the locking function is reliable, but the fixture is not sealed against dust and liquids, compromising hygiene standards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking function reliabilityVSAvoidexposure to dust and liquids

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rotation limiter is nested inside the housing bore, with the actuator shaft passing through the housing in a sealed manner. The rotation limiter is positioned within the sealed region of the housing bore, creating a nested configuration where the rotation limiter is protected by the sealed housing structure, preventing exposure to external contaminants while maintaining the rotation limiting function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

A seal is introduced at the interface between the actuator shaft and the housing, creating a flexible barrier that prevents dust and liquids from entering the housing while allowing the actuator shaft to rotate. This sealing mechanism protects the internal components from harmful external factors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Adaptability or versatility

If the actuator shaft passes through the housing for rotation, then the locking tongue can be positioned in different rotational positions, but this creates an opening for contaminants to enter the housing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotational positioning capabilityVSAvoidcontaminant entry through shaft passage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A seal is positioned at the interface between the actuator shaft and the housing, creating a flexible barrier that prevents dust and liquids from entering the housing through the shaft passage. This seal allows the actuator shaft to rotate while maintaining the hygiene integrity of the housing interior

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The actuator shaft passes through the housing in a sealed manner, with the rotation limiter positioned within the sealed region of the housing bore. This nested arrangement ensures that the rotational functionality is maintained while the entire rotation mechanism is protected from external contaminants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12291905B2Sealed locking fixture

Publication Date: 2025.05.06 OTTO GANTER GMBH & CO KG NORMTEILEFAB

AI summary

A locking fixture that has a housing (1) with a male thread, that can be installed in a hole in a door or a mounting plate (13), in the housing bore (34) of which, an actuator shaft (2) with limited rotation that has a locking tongue (9) on its exposed end is supported such that it can be rotated by means of an actuating section (12) formed on the actuator shaft (2), and has a screw sleeve (7) with a female thread, which secures the locking fixture to the door or mounting plate (13), wherein, in obtaining a hygienic design, the actuator shaft (2) is sealed at both ends where it passes through the housing (12) and the rotation limiter (5, 16, 23, 24) is located in the sealed housing bore (34).