Leapmotor Technology Secures Patent for Fastener Locking Dev

The latest publicly available information from the China National Intellectual Property Administration shows that Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co., Ltd. has officially been granted a patent for an invention titled "A Fastener Locking Device and Fastener Locking System," with authorization announcement number CN 223578396 U. The patent application was filed in February 2025. As an enterprise focused on the R&D and manufacturing of intelligent electric vehicles, Leapmotor's cross-industry patent in the fastener field not only demonstrates the company's technological innovation capabilities but also brings a novel and practical locking solution to the fastener industry.

According to the technical details disclosed in the patent abstract, the fastener locking device is designed around the core principle of "precise deformation locking," featuring a simple yet highly targeted structural design. It is understood that the device is primarily applied to equipment to be locked that includes a support column and a fastener, wherein the fastener is sleeved on the outer side of the support column, and the support column is provided with a recessed groove relative to the fastener. This fundamental structure provides a critical mechanical positioning point for subsequent locking actions. The locking device itself consists of three core components—a housing, an impact portion, and a drive assembly—each with clearly defined roles and efficient coordination.

The housing serves as the device's foundational load-bearing structure, internally forming a dedicated accommodating space. An opening is provided on the housing that connects the accommodating space to the exterior. The primary function of this opening is to enable rapid adaptation of the device to the fastener—it can be directly sleeved onto the outer circumference of the fastener without the need for complex positioning and calibration procedures, significantly enhancing operational convenience. The impact portion is installed within the accommodating space of the housing and precisely corresponds to the groove on the support column. This positional design ensures that the impact action can be accurately applied to the critical area of the fastener. The drive assembly, serving as the power source, is directly connected to the impact portion. Its core function is to drive the impact portion to deliver a directional impact to the fastener, forcing at least part of the fastener structure to deform toward the interior of the groove.

Compared with traditional fastener locking methods, Leapmotor's patented technology demonstrates significant advantages. Conventional locking methods largely rely on bolt tightening, snap-fit connections, and similar approaches, which not only involve cumbersome installation processes but are also prone to loosening under complex operating conditions such as prolonged vibration and temperature fluctuations. This issue is particularly acute in industries like automotive and smart manufacturing, where fastening reliability requirements are extremely high, and maintenance costs for traditional solutions remain substantial. By contrast, this patent achieves an integrated fastening effect between the fastener and the support column through the mechanical locking logic of "impact deformation + groove engagement." The deformed portion of the fastener forms a mechanical interlock with the groove. This structural stability far exceeds that of conventional detachable connections, effectively resisting external disturbances such as vibration and impact, thereby fundamentally reducing the risk of loosening.

At the same time, the device's universal design is also noteworthy. Its open-housing structure can accommodate cylindrical fasteners of various specifications without requiring custom locking tools for specific dimensions—a feature that greatly expands the device's range of applicable scenarios. From chassis component fixation and body frame connections in automotive manufacturing, to equipment assembly and production line structural fastening in smart manufacturing, to lightweight assembly needs in home appliances, rail transit, and other industries, this technology holds broad application potential. Particularly in Leapmotor's core field of new energy vehicles, where lightweighting and reliability are key technical demands, this locking device can both reduce the weight footprint of traditional fasteners and enhance the overall structural stability of vehicles—precisely addressing industry pain points.

According to the patent documentation, the supporting in-house warehouse design further strengthens service capabilities. Although the 610-square-meter space is not particularly large, the integrated "sales + warehousing" layout significantly shortens the process from customer inquiry to product delivery. For customers in industries such as automotive and electronics in the southern region, the response speed for urgent orders and the supply efficiency for standard products will be markedly improved. This "nearby service" model also lays a foundation for Böllhoff to build customer trust in the southern market.

A relevant technical lead at Leapmotor stated that the original R&D intent behind the patent was to address the reliability challenges of existing locking technologies under complex operating conditions, and that subsequent technology commercialization efforts will proceed in line with market demand. In fact, automakers filing cross-industry fastener patents is not an isolated case. With the development of high-end manufacturing sectors such as new energy vehicles and smart equipment, performance requirements for fasteners continue to escalate, prompting upstream and downstream enterprises to intensify their technological R&D efforts. Such cross-industry innovation is driving the fastener industry toward higher-end and smarter transformations.

For the fastener industry, the value of Leapmotor's patent lies not only in providing a novel locking solution but also in offering a new perspective for industry innovation—achieving performance breakthroughs by precisely addressing application-scenario pain points through optimized mechanical structures. Although China's fastener industry is large in scale, there remain certain technological gaps in the high-end segment. The technical inspiration brought by such cross-industry innovation is expected to encourage more enterprises to increase R&D investment and accelerate the overall technological upgrading of the industry.

Looking ahead, as the patented technology is commercialized and implemented, its application effects across various industries will be worth watching. Meanwhile, Leapmotor, as a representative of cross-industry innovation, its technological exploration in the fastener field will also provide valuable references for cross-sector collaborative innovation in manufacturing, fostering a healthy ecosystem of multi-industry synergy and innovation.