Toy Excavator Boom Latching Mechanism for Easy Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toy vehicle excavators require significant force to lower a raised excavator boom, making it difficult for players to operate easily.
Innovation Solution
A toy vehicle excavator design featuring a triggering actuation element that allows the boom to be lowered by pressing a button, utilizing a latching hook and counter-latching body mechanism, where the boom's weight causes it to lower after disengagement, eliminating the need for biasing springs and incorporating inclined surfaces for secure return and realistic appearance through a double cylinder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional fixed boom mechanism is used, then the boom can be held in position, but significant force is required to lower the boom making it difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a dynamic latching mechanism where the latching hook can transition between engaged and disengaged states. The hook is resiliently mounted to allow automatic engagement when released, providing a dynamic system that changes from a fixed locked state to a movable state when the actuating element is pressed, resolving the contradiction between holding position and ease of movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The latching hook acts as an intermediary mechanism between the boom and the actuating element. When the actuating element is pressed, it triggers the latching hook to disengage from the counter-latching body, allowing the boom to lower. This intermediary mechanism translates a small pressing force into the disengagement action, eliminating the need for direct high force application.
2Ease of operation
If a latching mechanism is added to enable easy lowering, then operation becomes simple, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latching mechanism is integrated into the existing boom pivot component rather than being a separate assembly. The latching hook is resiliently mounted within the boom pivot component housing, and the actuating element is guided on the frame in coordination with the latching mechanism. This merging approach provides the easy lowering function while minimizing additional complexity by combining multiple functions into existing structural elements.
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 easy lowering of the excavator boom with minimal effort, ensuring secure engagement and disengagement of the latching mechanism, providing a realistic and user-friendly operation.
Implementation Method 1
The boom pivoting component (5) has a resilient latching hook (7) as part of a latching device (6)
Implementation Method 2
The boom pivoting component (5) is designed in such a way that when the boom pivoting component (5) returns from the lowered pivoted position to the raised pivoted position, it returns the trigger actuating element (9) from a lowered actuating position reached after actuation to a raised initial position
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A toy excavator has a frame and an excavator boom that can be switched between a raised and a lowered position, at the end of which an attachment is mounted. A boom swivel component (5) can be switched between a lifting swivel position when the excavator boom (2) is raised and a lowering swivel position when the excavator boom is lowered. The boom swivel component (5) has a spring-loaded locking hook (7) as part of a locking device (6). This hook engages a frame-mounted counter-locking element (8) of the locking device (6) to fix the excavator boom in the lifting swivel position. A release actuation element (9) interacts with the locking device (6). The latter is used to switch the excavator boom (2) from the raised to the lowered position.