Wire Locking Clip for Screw Connectors with One-Hand Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locking devices for screw action connectors, such as wheel nuts, require both hands and significant manual strength to fit and remove, making them cumbersome and difficult to use.
Innovation Solution
A metal wire locking clip with tangentially extending coils and finger grip limbs, where the limbs can be pressed together by one hand to open the coils for easy placement or removal, maintaining adequate tension around the nuts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the locking device uses a diagonal interconnecting part extending tangentially between first and second coils with end portions turned at an angle, then the device provides form locking around angular edges of nuts, but both hands are required to fit or remove the device
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the traditional configuration by having the end portions of the wire extend tangentially from the coils to form finger grip limbs that extend across and beyond the diagonal interconnecting part. This allows the limbs to be pressed towards each other to open the coils, enabling easy fitting and removal with one hand, while the diagonal interconnecting part maintains reliable locking around the nuts.
2Reliability
If the locking device requires limbs to be pressed towards each other and manipulated to engage hook portions, then adequate tension is achieved in the coils, but considerable manual strength and dexterity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The finger grip limbs are designed to be pressed towards each other by the fingers of one hand, allowing the user to easily open the coils and place or remove the device without requiring considerable manual strength or dexterity, while still achieving adequate tension when the limbs are released.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the first limb extends across the interconnecting part adjacent the second coil and the second limb extends across adjacent the first coil, then the device can be fitted over wheel nuts, but the limbs must be moved away and apart to open the coils, requiring two hands
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the traditional configuration by having the end portions of the wire extend tangentially from the coils to form finger grip limbs that extend across and beyond the diagonal interconnecting part. This allows the limbs to be pressed towards each other to open the coils, enabling easy fitting and removal with one hand, while the diagonal interconnecting part maintains reliable locking around the nuts.
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 fitting and removal of the locking device with one hand while maintaining effective grip on screw action connectors, reducing the need for excessive manual strength and dexterity.
Implementation Method 1
a locking device to prevent loosening of two spaced apart screw action connectors comprises a metal wire configured to provide a diagonal interconnecting part extending tangentially between first and second coils, which are sized to fit around the respective screw action connectors
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A metal wire is configured to provide a diagonal interconnecting part (10) extending tangentially between first and second coils (12, 14) which are sized to fit around respective screw action connectors, such as nuts (16, 18). First and second wire end portions (32, 34) extend tangentially from the respective first and second coils (12, 14) across and beyond the diagonal interconnecting part (10) to provide first and second finger grip limbs. The first limb (32) extends across the interconnecting part (10) adjacent the first coil (12) and the second limb (34) extends across the interconnecting part (10) adjacent the second coil (14) so that end regions of the limbs (32, 34) are spaced apart and at opposite sides of the interconnecting part (10) and are capable of being pressed towards each other in a direction transverse to the interconnecting part (10) by the fingers of one hand in order to loosen the respective coils (12, 14) to enable their location over, or removal from, the respective screw action connectors (16, 18).