Tamper Resistant Gravity Latch for Wildlife-Proof Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing latches for containers may prematurely unlock when the container falls or is knocked over, leading to unintended access to the contents, especially by wildlife.
Innovation Solution
A latch assembly with a manual release mechanism and an actuator mechanism that differentiates between tilting movements associated with collection and those not associated with collection, ensuring the lid remains locked during unintended tilting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the latch is designed to unlock during tilting movements, then the container can be emptied during collection, but the container may prematurely unlock when fallen or knocked over
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism dynamically adapts its locking behavior based on the container's orientation. The actuator mechanism includes a cam follower that rides along a cam surface, where the cam geometry is designed to unlock the latch only when the container is tilted forward beyond a threshold angle (indicating collection), while maintaining locked state during smaller tilts or lateral falls. This dynamic response resolves the contradiction by making the latch security conditional on the specific tilting motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the activation parameter from simple tilt detection to differentiated tilt detection. The actuator mechanism uses a cam-follower arrangement where the cam profile is engineered to respond only to forward tilting beyond a critical angle, ignoring lateral or small-angle tilts. This parameter differentiation allows the latch to distinguish between collection-related tilting and accidental falls, resolving the security-productivity contradiction.
2Device complexity
If the latch uses a simple tilt-based unlocking mechanism, then the structure is simple, but it cannot differentiate between collection tilting and accidental tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The cam-follower mechanism acts as an intermediary between the container's tilting motion and the latch's locking state. The cam profile serves as a mechanical translator that converts complex tilting scenarios into a binary locked/unlocked response. By designing the cam geometry with specific curvature and transition zones, the system achieves scenario differentiation without requiring complex sensors or control systems, thus resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces electronic or sensor-based tilt detection systems with a purely mechanical cam-follower mechanism. This mechanical substitution achieves sophisticated differentiation of tilting scenarios through carefully engineered cam profiles, eliminating the need for complex electronics while maintaining the ability to distinguish between collection and accidental tilting. This resolves the contradiction by achieving high adaptability through elegant mechanical design rather than complex systems.
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 latch assembly effectively secures the container by ensuring the lid only unlocks during intended collection processes, while remaining locked during accidental tilting or wildlife tampering.
Implementation Method 1
A latch assembly with a manual release mechanism and an actuator mechanism that differentiates between tilting movements associated with collection and those not associated with collection
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus (2100), including: a hasp (2104) configured to retain a staple therein when in an engaged position (2106); an actuator (2110) that is biased toward a locking position (2112) configured to lock the hasp in the engaged position, where once the hasp is moved into the engaged position the actuator can reach the locking position; an actuator weight (2130) configured to move under the influence of gravity once the apparatus is tilted from an upright orientation by more than an actuator weight threshold amount and to disengage the actuator from the hasp upon reaching an unlocking position (2136) with sufficient force; and a time delay lock assembly (2150) configured to be initiated when the apparatus is tilted from the upright orientation by a time delay lock threshold amount of tilt and configured to prevent movement of the actuator weight only after an initiation and a time delay.