Spring-Loaded Sling Bar Latch for One-Handed Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sling bars require users to manipulate both hands to attach a sling loop, making it difficult to securely attach the sling while assisting a subject, as simultaneous manipulation of the sling attachment portion and the sling loop is challenging.
Innovation Solution
A sling bar design featuring a retention latch with a spring mechanism that allows one-handed operation, where a spring forces the latch into a closed position to securely hold the sling loop, and a lock protrusion maintains the latch in place, enabling easy attachment and detachment with minimal hand use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional sling bar design is used, then the sling bar can securely hold the sling loop, but both hands are required to manipulate the attachment portion, making it difficult to assist the subject simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The sling bar attachment portion is designed to be self-attaching through a spring-loaded latch mechanism. When the sling loop is inserted into the receiving aperture, the spring automatically forces the retention latch into the closed position, securing the sling without requiring manual manipulation of the latch itself. This self-service mechanism allows caregivers to attach slings efficiently while maintaining one hand availability for subject assistance.
2Reliability
If a secure attachment mechanism is used, then the sling loop is reliably retained, but the mechanism becomes complex requiring two hands to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: a receiving aperture for sling insertion, a spring-loaded retention latch for automatic securing, and a lock protrusion with lock aperture for final locking. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, achieving reliable retention through a modular design that remains simple to operate with one hand.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring acts as an intermediary element between the retention latch and the sling loop. It automatically translates the insertion action into the closing of the latch, providing the force necessary for secure retention without requiring the user to manually apply force or manipulate complex mechanisms. This intermediary spring mechanism bridges the gap between simple insertion and secure locking.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables secure one-handed attachment and detachment of sling loops, allowing caregivers to assist subjects more efficiently by freeing up a hand for support, improving user convenience and safety during lifting operations.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring positioned within the first spring aperture to force the first retention latch toward the closed position
Data Source
AI summary
Sling bars, lift systems, and methods of attaching a subject sling to a sling bar are disclosed. A sling bar includes a bar extending in a longitudinal direction, a protrusion extending from an upper part of the bar, a sling attachment portion extending to define a receiving aperture, a terminus of the sling attachment portion facing the protrusion, defining an opening into the receiving aperture, the protrusion defining an undercut portion of the receiving aperture, a retention latch pivotally coupled to the protrusion and defining an engagement face that selectively interfaces with a stop surface at the terminus in a closed position to cover the opening, the retention latch being constrained to pivot to an open position whereby the retention latch ceases to interface with the stop surface at the terminus, and a biasing mechanism coupled to the retention latch to force the retention latch toward the closed position.