Remotely operated twistlock

grabcad

This remotely operated lock mechanism is designed to be installed at the bottom corner of a container, eliminating the need for later removal. The base is made of one-piece forged alloy steel that moves up and down via a compression spring connected between its end surface and the inner top surface of the square corner. In the extended position (home), it's meant for installation on the next container, while in the compressed state (end), it aligns with the surface of the cast square corner when the shipping container is placed on the ground. The control mechanism is located inside the base and consists of a small DC gear motor that provides high torque and is responsible for rotating the twist lock by 90 degrees. A N20 geared motor, rated at 60ma and 3v, is used, similar to the one in the previous project. The power source is a long-lasting lithium thionyl chloride (Li-SOCl2) 3.6v 2.4Ah battery. Lock/unlock position is done wirelessly, with the locking/unlocking of four twistlock systems paired and programmed simultaneously using a single keychain remote or handheld device. A remote control can be used, which operates within a range of up to 50-100 meters by pressing the "A" button to lock and the "B" button to unlock. An alternative wireless communication option is a Bluetooth module that uses a handheld, smartphone, or tablet device with specialized control software. Manual operation is also possible through a pushbutton located next to the DC connector, which can be used if the battery drains out or to manually turn the twist locker. To improve the design, a press fit connection and weld have been added between two parts as a solution for the shaft-locker connection, which was previously identified as the weakest point. Additionally, a hole with a larger diameter inside the shaft has been included for shaft greasing.