Vertical Locking Rod Mechanism for Trailer Door Security

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing door locking arrangements for transport vehicles are vulnerable to breaches due to the perpendicular orientation of locking rods, making them easily accessible from the outside.

Innovation Solution

A locking mechanism where the rod is mounted vertically and rotatably on the door leaf, with bolts engaging in keepers on the frame structure, featuring a lockable striker and bolt device with a coaxial tube and locking balls that prevent unauthorized access and tampering, and an optional electric motor for enhanced security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the locking rod is oriented perpendicular to the door leaf with ends accessible from outside, then the locking mechanism is simple and easy to operate, but the arrangement becomes easily breachable and insecure

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidlocking mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking rod is nested within a hollow striker body, with the rod extending along the longitudinal axis inside the striker. The striker itself is inserted into a recess in the door leaf, creating a nested configuration that protects the locking rod from external access while maintaining the locking function. This nesting arrangement prevents direct access to the rod ends from the outside, thereby improving security without significantly complicating the overall mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking mechanism transitions from a two-dimensional planar arrangement (rod perpendicular to door surface) to a three-dimensional configuration where the rod extends longitudinally within the striker body that is inserted into a recess. This dimensional change moves the critical locking components away from the external surface, adding a depth dimension that prevents external tampering while preserving the locking capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the locking rod ends are accessible from outside, then the mechanism is easy to access and operate, but it becomes vulnerable to unauthorized manipulation and breaches

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetamper resistanceVSAvoidaccessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The locking rod is nested within a hollow striker body, with the rod extending along the longitudinal axis inside the striker. The striker itself is inserted into a recess in the door leaf, creating a nested configuration that protects the locking rod from external access while maintaining the locking function. This nesting arrangement prevents direct access to the rod ends from the outside, thereby improving security without significantly complicating the overall mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The striker body acts as an intermediary element between the external environment and the locking rod. By inserting the striker into a recess in the door leaf and housing the rod within the striker, this intermediate structure mediates access to the locking mechanism, allowing controlled operation while preventing unauthorized manipulation from the outside.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If a lockable striker with locking balls is added to secure the rod, then security against unauthorized access is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidlocking mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the striker body, the locking rod, and the locking balls. The striker body is divided into a hollow portion housing the rod and a solid portion forming the locking mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together as an integrated system, improving security through the added locking mechanism without creating an overly complex monolithic structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The locking rod and locking mechanism are merged into a single integrated striker assembly. The rod extends along the longitudinal axis within the hollow striker body, and the locking balls are positioned at the end of the rod within the same assembly. This merging of functions into a unified structure improves security by ensuring that rod movement is controlled by the locking mechanism, while avoiding the complexity of separate, loosely coupled components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2180120B1Locking apparatus for rear doors of trailers or cargo containers
Publication Date: 2013.08.21 POMMIER FURGOCAR SRL
  • EP2180120B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2180120B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2180120B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The arrangement has a rod rotating under the effect of a control device, and a bolt (6) provided at an end of the rod. A strike (7) is fixedly mounted on a frame structure of a door leaf, and receives the bolt in a door leaf closing position. A locking device (9) locks the bolt in the strike in the door leaf closing position, and is associated with the strike by cooperating with the strike and the bolt. The locking device is provided with an external body i.e. tube (33).