Self-locking structure for isolation damper based platforms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059623-B1
Application number	US-202016801421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 26, 2020
Priority date	Feb 26, 2020
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A self-locking structure includes an enclosure and a plunger assembly, where plunger assembly is movable within the enclosure in a vertical direction. An upper platform coupled to the plunger assembly, where the upper platform is configured to move in the same vertical direction as the plunger assembly. A lower platform coupled to the enclosure, where at least one isolation damper is disposed between a top surface of the lower platform and a bottom surface of the upper platform configured to compress under a load applied to a top surface of the upper platform. The plunger assembly includes a first locking finger, where the first locking finger is configured to engage with a first locking aperture of the enclosure when the at least one isolation damper is compressed under the load applied to the top surface of the upper platform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for a self-locking structure, the apparatus comprising:
an enclosure and a plunger assembly, wherein the plunger assembly is movable within the enclosure in a vertical direction;
an upper platform coupled to the plunger assembly, wherein the upper platform is configured to move in a similar vertical direction as the plunger assembly;
a lower platform coupled to the enclosure, wherein at least one isolation damper is disposed between a top surface of the lower platform and a bottom surface of the upper platform configured to compress under a load applied to a top surface of the upper platform; and
the plunger assembly includes a first locking finger, wherein the first locking finger is configured to engage with a first locking aperture of the enclosure when the at least one isolation damper is compressed under the load applied to the top surface of the upper platform;
wherein the plunger assembly further includes a plunger, a plunger housing, a second locking finger, and a locking mechanism for locking and unlocking the first locking finger and the second locking finger.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second locking finger is configured to engage with a second locking aperture of the enclosure when the at least one isolation damper is compressed under the load applied to the top surface of the upper platform.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
the plunger disposed in the plunger housing, wherein the locking mechanism is configurable to extend the plunger into the plunger housing to unlock the first locking finger from the first locking aperture and unlock the second locking finger from the second locking aperture.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
the plunger disposed in the plunger housing, wherein the locking mechanism is configurable to retract the plunger into the plunger housing to lock the first locking finger into the first locking aperture and lock the second locking finger into the second locking aperture.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first pin and rotational spring combination coupled to a first end of the first locking finger and coupled to the plunger housing, wherein the first pin and rotational spring combination is configured to extend and retract the first locking finger from the first locking aperture; and
a second pin and rotational spring combination coupled to a first end of the second locking finger and coupled to the plunger housing, wherein the second pin and rotational spring combination is configured to extend and retract the second locking finger from the second locking aperture.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a first portion of the plunger housing prevents the first locking finger from pivoting at the first pin and rotational spring combination and a second portion of the plunger housing prevents the second locking finger from pivoting at the second pin and rotational spring combination.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second end of the first locking finger is configured to engage with the first locking aperture of the enclosure; and
a second end of the second locking finger is configured to engage with the second locking aperture of the enclosure.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first cavity in the plunger housing of the plunger assembly, wherein a first pin disposed in the first cavity in the plunger housing couples the upper platform to the plunger housing; and
a second cavity in the plunger housing of the plunger assembly, wherein a second pin disposed in the second cavity in the plunger housing couples the upper platform to the plunger housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first cavity guide in the enclosure, wherein the first pin is placeable in the first cavity guide during a movement of the plunger assembly in the vertical direction; and
a second cavity guide in the enclosure, wherein the second pin is placeable in the second cavity guide during the movement of the plunger assembly in the vertical direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a distance that the at least one isolation damper compresses equals a distance that the plunger assembly compresses within the enclosure.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one isolation damper at least partially surrounds the enclosure.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the at least one isolation damper is a plurality of isolation dampers of varying heights and cross sections, wherein the plurality of isolation dampers are engaged for different weighted loads applied to the top surface of the upper platform.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cavity of the upper platform, wherein the enclosure is placeable in the cavity of the upper platform when the at least one isolation damper is compressed under the load applied to the top surface of the upper platform.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an engagement of the first locking finger with the first locking aperture prevents a movement of the upper platform in the vertical direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a difference in a first height of the first locking aperture and a second height of the first locking finger dictates a height movement of the upper platform in the vertical direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the plunger assembly includes a second locking finger, wherein the second locking finger is configured to engage with a second locking aperture of the enclosure when the at least one isolation damper is compressed under the load applied to the top surface of the upper platform.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first aperture is out of a first plurality of locking apertures of the enclosure arranged in the vertical direction and the second aperture is out of a second plurality of locking apertures of the enclosure arranged in the vertical direction.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Ecker Richard M
• Notohardjono Budy
• Khambati Suraush
• Canfield Shawn

Classifications

• B65D2519/00378

  whereby at least one spacer is made of two or more pieces · CPC title

• B65D2519/00273

  made of more than one piece · CPC title

• B65D81/02

  specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage {(containers of polygonal cross-section provided with internal protecting elements for contents B65D5/50; devices to locate articles in containers B65D25/10)} · CPC title

• B65D19/40 Primary

  Elements for spacing platforms from supporting surface · CPC title

• B65D2519/00552

  Structures connecting the constitutive elements of the pallet to each other, i.e. load supporting surface, base surface and/or separate spacer · CPC title