Stepped Lock Bar Structure for Stable Sliding Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
In locking devices with long rod members, the rod tends to tilt when closing, making it difficult to slide and potentially leading to operational instability.
Innovation Solution
The locking device includes a base member with facing surfaces that support a lock bar member, which has first and second bar portions with stepped portions. These stepped portions on the lock bar member and the base member interact to stabilize the lock bar's operation, preventing tilting and ensuring smooth sliding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the rod member is formed to be long in the upper-lower direction, then the locking device can achieve sufficient locking range and engagement, but the rod member tends to tilt when the lid body is closed, making it difficult to slide
Solution Approach 1:
The rod member is divided into multiple segments (first rod member and second rod member) connected by a connection portion. This segmentation allows each segment to be shorter, preventing tilting while maintaining sufficient total locking range through the articulated connection between segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking device employs a nested structure where the first rod member and second rod member are arranged in series along the sliding direction, with the connection portion positioned at specific heights. This nested arrangement optimizes space utilization and maintains compact dimensions while achieving the required locking range.
2Length of stationary object
If the rod member is made long to ensure locking coverage, then the locking range is sufficient, but the rod member may become difficult to slide due to tilting
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the rod member into multiple shorter sections connected by a connection portion, the invention maintains sufficient locking range while each individual segment remains short enough to slide easily without tilting, improving operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection portion is positioned at a specific height (second height) different from the locking portion height, creating a stepped configuration. This dimensional variation allows the rod member to achieve long locking range in one dimension while keeping individual segments short in another dimension, facilitating easy sliding.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a locking device including: a base member; a lock bar member; and a drive member. The base member includes a pair of facing surfaces sandwiching and supporting the lock bar member. The lock bar member includes a lock portion, a first bar portion extending in a sliding direction of the lock bar member, and a second bar portion extending in a direction intersecting the sliding direction and connecting the first bar portion and the lock portion. A first stepped portion is formed on the first bar portion, and a second stepped portion is formed on the second bar portion. Each of the facing surfaces is provided with step portions each of which faces the first stepped portion and the second stepped portion respectively in the direction intersecting the sliding direction at positions sandwiched between the first stepped portion and the second stepped portion.