Spring-Buffered Coupling for Locking Device Blockage Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tumbler locking devices face challenges in ensuring reliable locking and unlocking while avoiding damage during blockages, as high forces from blockages can directly impact the transmission elements and drive systems, leading to potential damage.

Innovation Solution

A spring-buffered coupling mechanism is introduced, which is prestressed in both directions of movement, allowing for a small amount of spring deflection only when high forces overcome the preload, thereby decoupling the closure element from the transmission element and preventing direct damage to the drive system during blockages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid coupling is used between the drive and locking element, then synchronous movement is achieved, but damage occurs during blockages due to high forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronous movementVSAvoiddamage during blockage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling is pre-loaded with a spring to create a cushioning effect before blockage occurs. The spring is compressed during normal operation, storing energy that can be released during blockage to prevent damage while maintaining synchronous movement through the pre-compressed state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

A spring-coupled intermediate element is introduced between the drive and locking element. This intermediary component absorbs high forces during blockage through spring deflection, preventing direct transmission of damaging forces while maintaining the coupling connection and synchronous movement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a spring-coupled connection is used, then damage is prevented during blockages, but asynchronous movement occurs during normal operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage preventionVSAvoidsynchronous movement

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring is pre-compressed to a predetermined force level before operation begins. This preliminary action ensures that during normal operation, the spring maintains sufficient tension to couple the elements synchronously, while still having capacity for additional deflection during blockage events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling parameter (spring force) is dynamically adjusted through pre-compression. The spring operates in different force ranges: a higher force range during normal operation for synchronous coupling, and a lower force range during blockage when it can deflect to absorb shocks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the coupling is pre-loaded, then synchronous connection is maintained, but deflection is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverigid connectionVSAvoidspring deflection capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic spring-coupled connection. The spring allows the system to adapt its stiffness: rigid during normal operation when pre-loaded, and flexible during blockage when additional deflection is required, providing both reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

This solution significantly reduces the risk of damage by allowing a controlled spring deflection only under high force conditions, maintaining a rigid and synchronous connection during normal operation while preventing damage from high forces, and enabling efficient locking and unlocking operations.

Implementation Method 1

a spring arranged in a bias direction relative to the closing direction, wherein the coupling is spring-buffered under preload in both directions of movement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2910716B1Interlock

Publication Date: 2020.04.01 K A SCHMERSAL HLDG

Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3c

AI summary

Described is a locking device with a locking element 14 movable parallel to a closing direction L. A drive 18, 20 with a transmission element 26 is coupled to the locking element 14 via a coupling 30 such that the transmission element 26 is movable with the locking element 14 in a first direction of movement and a second, opposite direction of movement. In order to achieve precise guidance of the locking element with a simple design, while simultaneously avoiding possible damage, it is proposed that the coupling 30 be spring-buffered under preload in both directions of movement, so that if the locking element 14 becomes blocked, overcoming the preload allows movement of the transmission element 26 in both directions of movement by a spring travel A against a spring force.