Spring Gate Buckle Loop Design for Strap Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Buckles with spring gate closure systems are unstable under high forces, as the wire locking element can bend and slip out of holes, leading to unintended release of straps, and require deformation for assembly, which destabilizes the design.
Innovation Solution
A buckle design featuring a spring gate in the shape of a loop with overlapping end portions, assembled into a guide track without deformation, using protrusions and grooves to secure the gate in place, preventing accidental release and maintaining stability under force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a wire locking element is used in the spring gate closure system, then the buckle can be assembled with holes in the top bar, but the wire can bend and slip out of the holes under high forces, causing unintended release
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the wire locking element from the system and replaces it with a spring gate closure system that uses a loop configuration. The spring gate is formed as a continuous loop that engages with a catch on the buckle body, eliminating the need for separate wire elements and holes in the top bar. This extraction resolves the reliability issue by removing the bending wire component while maintaining ease of assembly through the loop's inherent flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring gate closure system introduces dynamic characteristics through the spring-loaded loop configuration. The spring gate can flex and deform elastically during engagement and disengagement, allowing it to adapt to forces applied during use. This dynamic behavior enables the spring gate to maintain reliable engagement under high forces while still allowing controlled opening when needed, resolving the contradiction between stability and operational flexibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If the spring gate locking element is bent into an L-shape for insertion through holes, then assembly can be achieved, but the bending destabilizes the design and causes the ends to slip out under high forces
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of bending the locking element into an L-shape for insertion, the invention inverts the approach by using a spring gate loop that is inserted through holes and then forms a closed loop configuration. The spring gate is formed as a continuous loop that engages with a catch on the buckle body, eliminating the need for separate wire elements and holes in the top bar. This inversion resolves the stability issue by removing the bending wire component while maintaining ease of assembly through the loop's inherent flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the locking element from a rigid L-shaped wire to a flexible spring-loaded loop. The spring gate is formed with specific dimensions and material properties that allow it to deform elastically under load. This parameter change enables the spring gate to maintain structural stability under high forces while still allowing controlled opening when needed, resolving the contradiction between stability and operational flexibility.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the spring gate is made as a loop with overlapping end portions, then the gate can be assembled without deformation, but the guide track must be designed with specific features to secure the gate in place
Solution Approach 1:
The guide track is segmented into multiple functional features: entry holes for the spring gate, a guide portion that directs the loop configuration, and a catch engagement area. This segmentation allows each feature to perform its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity. The guide track segments work together to secure the spring gate in place without requiring complex mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between stability and complexity.
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
The design ensures the spring gate remains securely attached without deformation during assembly and resists accidental release under high forces, providing a stable and reliable connection for straps.
Implementation Method 1
The pressure created by pressing on the spring gate deforms the spring, as it cannot move within the guide track due to the protrusion blocking the guide track. The spring then stores a restoring force that helps to remove the spring from the catch once the top bar is pressed downward sufficiently to release the spring gate from the catch.
Data Source
AI summary
A securing device has a main body having a first side wall, a second side wall, and at least one first slot for receiving a strap, and a top bar connected to the main buckle body at the first side wall and forming a second slot with the main buckle body for receiving a second strap. The second slot is open at a distal end thereof. The top bar has a guide track extending longitudinally therethrough, with the guide track opening into the second slot. A catch is formed on the second side wall and facing inward. A spring gate is disposed in the guide track. The spring gate is placed around the catch to close the distal end of the second slot. The spring gate is releasable from the catch by pressing on the top bar until the spring gate clears the catch.