Fastening device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fastening device, which primarily features sliding slots respectively at an upper and lower ends of the device body. The sliding slots are designed to engage with third plates positioned at an upper and lower ends of a notch on a supporting steel beam. Through this design, the fastening device can be easily assembled with the supporting steel beam, thereby improving on-site construction efficiency. Furthermore, when installing solar panels on the supporting steel beam, the fastening device can slide along the supporting steel beam to the desired assembly position based to the size of the solar panel, enhancing the convenience of on-site installation. Additionally, the fastening device does not require drilling holes in the supporting steel beam for assembly, effectively increasing the structural strength and durability of the supporting steel beam.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of fastening devices, and more particularly to a fastening device suitable for fixing plates and hanging items. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Note that resources such as oil, coal, and natural gas are becoming increasingly scarce, leading to the rise of renewable energy alternatives such as hydropower, wind power, and solar energy. Among these, solar energy is the most widely used renewable energy source. Solar power generation mainly utilizes solar panels to receive solar radiation energy and then convert it into electrical energy. Currently, solar panels are mainly installed on building roofs and other locations with ample sunlight using fixed components such as supporting steel frames.

[0003] Please refer to the Republic of China Announcement No. M559551, "Fixing Components for Solar Panel Modules", which is a common type of solar panel fixing structure on the market. It mainly includes a supporting steel and at least one fixing component. The supporting steel, which is a C-shaped steel, has elongated holes. The fixing component is mounted on the supporting steel, and the fixing plate of the fixing component has elongated holes. After the positions of the elongated holes on the supporting steel are aligned, the bolts are passed through the washers, the elongated holes of the fixing plates, and the elongated holes of the supporting steel in sequence. Then, the bolts are tightened with nuts. Finally, the fixing component is assembled with the outer frame of the solar panel. As can be seen from the above, the "Fixing Components for Solar Panel Modules" in Republic of China Announcement No. M559551 requires multiple bolts to be sequentially passed through the washers, fixing plates, and elongated holes of the supporting steel before being tightened with nuts during on-site assembly. This process is time-consuming and inconvenient, affecting on-site construction efficiency. Furthermore, the position of the elongated holes on the supporting steel is fixed. If it is found during assembly that the size does not match the size of the solar panel, it is impossible to effectively change the assembly position of the supporting steel and the fixing components according to the size of the solar panel, causing trouble during on-site construction. In addition, the multiple elongated holes on the supporting steel will reduce the structural strength of the supporting steel and affect its durability.

[0004] Consequently, some manufacturers have developed grooves formed on supporting steel sections to improve their structural strength. Please refer to the "Hollow Grooved Pipe Fitting Structure" in Republic of China Announcement No. M478075. This structure features grooves on two opposite sides of a hollow grooved pipe fitting, with through holes at the bottom of the grooves. Multiple fixing slides are also provided, each with through holes. Bolts and other fixing elements are then inserted through the through holes in the fixing slides and grooves and secured with nuts. While the "Hollow Grooved Pipe Fitting Structure" in Republic of China Announcement No. M478075 achieves increased strength through its grooves, its manufacturing cost is high. Furthermore, through holes must be provided on the pipe fitting for screws to secure the fixing slides to the fitting. Assembly with the solar panel via the fixing slides is then necessary. Therefore, on-site construction remains time-consuming and inconvenient, and construction is difficult when the holes in the pipe fitting do not match the dimensions of the solar panel.

[0005] The reason is that, in view of the above-mentioned shortcomings in the use and implementation of existing solar panel fixing structures, the inventor, with the help of his many years of manufacturing and design experience and knowledge in related fields, and through various ingenious ideas, has created this invention. [Summary of the Invention]

[0006] The present invention relates to a fastening device, the main purpose of which is to provide a fastening device that can be easily assembled with supporting steel beams and solar panels, so as to improve on-site construction efficiency and assembly convenience.

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the inventors have devised the following fastening device, which comprises:

[0008] A device body includes a first plate and a second plate arranged in parallel, with a gap formed between the first plate and the second plate. The first plate and the second plate are respectively formed with a first end and a second end. A first groove is provided at the first end of the first plate and the second plate, extending towards the second end to an appropriate position. A second groove is provided at the second end of the first plate and the second plate, extending towards the first end to an appropriate position. The first plate and the second plate are each divided into a first region and a second region by the provided first groove and the second groove. A third plate is provided at the first end of the first plate and the first region of the second plate. The two sides of the third plate are respectively connected to the first end of the first plate and the second plate located in the first region. A first through hole is provided on the third plate.

[0009] A positioning plate is located on one side of the third plate of the main body of the device, and a second through hole is provided on the positioning plate to correspond to the position of the first through hole provided on the third plate of the main body of the device;

[0010] A locking device includes a bolt and a nut. The bolt passes through the first through hole in the main body of the device and the second through hole in the positioning plate, and is screwed together with the nut.

[0011] In the fastening device described above, the first slide groove provided on the first plate and the second plate of the main body of the device has a corresponding groove opening and groove bottom. The groove opening of the first slide groove provided on the first plate is located at the first end of the first plate, and the groove opening of the first slide groove provided on the second plate is located at the first end of the second plate. Furthermore, the groove diameter of the groove opening of the first slide groove provided on the first plate and the second plate is smaller than the groove diameter of its groove bottom, so that the first slide groove is conical. In addition, a rounded corner is formed on one side of the groove opening of the first slide groove.

[0012] In the fastening device described above, the second sliding groove provided on the first plate and the second plate of the main body of the device has a corresponding groove opening and groove bottom. The groove opening of the second sliding groove provided on the first plate is located at the second end of the second plate. The groove opening of the second sliding groove provided on the second plate is located at the second end of the second plate. Furthermore, the groove diameter of the groove opening of the second sliding groove provided on the first plate and the second plate is smaller than the groove diameter of the groove bottom, so that the second sliding groove is conical. In addition, a rounded corner is formed on one side of the groove opening of the second sliding groove.

[0013] In the fastening device described above, the first plate and the second plate of the main body of the device are connected to the third plate at the first end of the first region, and a height difference is formed between the third plate and the first end of the first plate and the second plate at the first end of the second region.

[0014] In the fastening device described above, the first plate and the second plate of the main body of the device are respectively folded inward in the direction of the interval between the first plate and the second plate in the first region and the second region, so that a reinforcing part is formed at each of the folds.

[0015] In the fastening device described above, the positioning plate is formed by concave bending at its two opposite ends to form a partition.

[0016] In the fastening device described above, the positioning plate is connected to a baffle at one side.

[0017] As described above, the fastening device further includes an elastic member located between the third plate and the positioning plate of the device body. The two ends of the elastic member are respectively in contact with the third plate and the positioning plate of the device body. The elastic member has a through hole in the center, which corresponds to the position of the first through hole in the third plate of the device body and the second through hole in the positioning plate. The bolt of the fastener passes through the first through hole of the device body, the through hole of the elastic member and the second through hole of the positioning plate to be screwed together with the nut.

[0018] The fastening device described above further includes a washer located between the positioning plate and the nut of the fastener, and a through hole is provided in the center of the washer to correspond to the position of the second through hole of the positioning plate. The bolt of the fastener passes through the first through hole of the device body, the second through hole of the positioning plate and the through hole of the washer to be screwed to the nut.

[0019] In the fastening device described above, the washer is formed with a number of first one-way ratchet teeth on one end face facing the nut, and the nut is formed with a number of second one-way ratchet teeth on the end face facing the washer, the second one-way ratchet teeth engaging with the first one-way ratchet teeth of the washer.

[0020] Accordingly, the present invention utilizes the first and second sliding grooves provided at both ends of the main body of the device to slide and assemble with the third plate provided at both ends of the notch of the supporting steel beam. This not only simplifies the assembly with the supporting steel beam and improves on-site construction efficiency, but also allows the fastening device of the present invention to slide along the supporting steel beam to the required assembly position of the solar panel when the solar panel is mounted on the supporting steel beam, thereby improving the convenience of on-site construction. Furthermore, when the fastening device of the present invention is assembled with the supporting steel beam, there is no need to open holes in the supporting steel beam, thus effectively improving the structural strength and durability of the supporting steel beam.

Implementation Method

[0021] In order to more completely and clearly disclose the technical means of the present invention and the effects it can achieve, the following detailed description is provided. Please refer to the disclosed drawings and drawing numbers as well:

[0022] First, please refer to Figures 1 and 2, which show the fastening device of the present invention, which mainly includes:

[0023] A device body (1) is generally n-shaped and includes a first plate (11) and a second plate (12) arranged in parallel. A gap (13) is formed between the first plate (11) and the second plate (12). The first plate (11) and the second plate (12) are respectively formed with a first end and a second end. At the first end of the first plate (11) and the second plate (12), a first groove (14) is provided, extending towards its second end to a suitable position. The length of the first groove (14) is about 20-25 mm. The first groove (14) is formed with a groove opening and a groove bottom. The groove diameter at the first end of the first plate (11) and the second plate (12) is smaller than the groove diameter at the bottom, making the first slide groove (14) conical. A rounded corner (141) is formed on one side of the groove opening of the first slide groove (14). A second slide groove (15) extending towards its first end to a suitable position is provided at the second end of both the first plate (11) and the second plate (12). The length of the second slide groove (15) is approximately 20-25 mm. The second slide groove (15) has opposing groove openings and bottoms. The groove diameter at the second end of the first plate (11) and the second plate (12) is... The groove diameter is smaller than the bottom diameter of the groove, making the second groove (15) conical. A rounded corner (151) is formed on one side of the groove opening of the second groove (15), and the positions of the first groove (14) and the second groove (15) correspond to each other. The first plate (11) and the second plate (12) are separated by the first groove (14) and the second groove (15) to form a first section (16) and a second section (17). The first end of the first plate (11) and the second plate (12) is provided with a third plate (18) at its first section (16), and the two sides of the third plate (18) are respectively connected to the first plate (11) and the second plate (12). The first end of the first section (16) of the plate (12) is connected as a whole, and a height difference of about 1.2 to 1.5 mm is formed between the first end of the first section (16) and the first end of the second section (17) of the first plate (11) and the second plate (12). A first through hole (181) is provided on the third plate (18). The sides of the first section (16) and the second section (17) of the first plate (11) and the second plate (12) are respectively concave about 10 degrees in the direction of the interval (13) between the first plate (11) and the second plate (12), and a reinforcing part (19) is formed at the concave part.

[0024] A positioning plate (2) is located on one side of the third plate (18) of the main body (1) of the device, and a gap is formed between it and the third plate (18) of the main body (1). A second through hole (21) is provided on the positioning plate (2) to correspond to the position of the first through hole (181) provided on the third plate (18) of the main body (1). A partition (22) is formed by concave bending at the middle of the two opposite ends of the positioning plate (2). A longitudinally erected baffle (23) can be connected to one side of the positioning plate (2) as needed for use.

[0025] An elastic element (3) is a compression spring located between the third plate (18) of the main body (1) of the device and the positioning plate (2), and the two ends of the elastic element (3) are respectively in contact with the third plate (18) of the main body (1) of the device and the positioning plate (2), and a through hole (31) is provided in the center of the elastic element (3) to correspond to the position of the first through hole (181) of the third plate (18) of the main body (1) of the device and the second through hole (21) of the positioning plate (2);

[0026] A washer (4) is disposed on the positioning plate (2), and a through hole (41) is provided in the center of the washer (4) to correspond to the position of the second through hole (21) of the positioning plate (2). One end face of the washer (4) is in contact with the positioning plate (2), and the other end face is formed with a number of first one-way ratchet teeth (42).

[0027] A locking device (5) includes a bolt (51) and a nut (52), such that the bolt (51) is sequentially inserted into the first through hole (181) of the main body (1) of the device, the through hole (31) of the elastic member (3), the second through hole (21) of the positioning plate (2) and the through hole (41) of the washer (4), and the bolt (51) is screwed to the nut (52) at one end of the through hole (41) of the washer (4), and a number of second one-way ratchet teeth (521) are formed on one end face of the nut (52) to engage with the number of first one-way ratchet teeth (42) of the washer (4).

[0028] Accordingly, please refer to the third figure, which shows that the fastening device of the present invention is assembled with at least one C-shaped steel support beam (6) to fix the solar panel (7). The support beam (6) includes a first steel plate (61) arranged longitudinally and two second steel plates (62) arranged laterally. One side of the two second steel plates (62) is connected to the upper and lower ends of the first steel plate (61), and a third steel plate (63) extending in opposite directions is connected to the other side of the two second steel plates (62). A gap (64) is formed between the two third steel plates (63). The first steel plate (61), the two second steel plates (62) and the two third steel plates (63) are arranged together to form a hollow space (65), and the gap (64) communicates with the hollow space (65).

[0029] Therefore, when in use, the fastening device of the present invention is set horizontally so that the second section (17) of the main body (1) is inserted into the hollow section (65) of the supporting steel beam (6) through the notch (64) of the supporting steel beam (6). Please refer to Figure 4. Then, the fastening device of the present invention is rotated by an angle. At this time, by utilizing the conical design of the first slide groove (14) and the second slide groove (15) and the guide rounded corners (141) and (151) of the groove opening, it can be fastened. The second and third steel plates (63) of the supporting steel beam (6) are smoothly introduced into the first slide groove (14) and the second slide groove (15) of the main body of the device (1), as shown in Figure 5. Then, the fastening device of the present invention is turned upright and set vertically, so that the second and third steel plates (63) of the supporting steel beam (6) are completely assembled in the first slide groove (14) and the second slide groove (15) of the main body of the device (1). Thus, the fastening device of the present invention and the supporting steel beam (6) can be easily assembled on site.

[0030] Following the above assembly method, at least three fastening devices of the present invention are assembled on the two supporting steel beams (6) respectively, and the fastening devices located on both sides are selected with positioning plates (2) having baffles (23). Then, referring to Figure 6, at least two solar panels (7) are placed on the two supporting steel beams (6). Depending on the size of the solar panels (7), the first groove (14) and the second groove (15) of the main body (1) of the device of the present invention are designed to slide movably on the second and third steel plates (63) of the supporting steel beams (6). Referring to Figure 7, the fastening devices of the present invention are moved to the position between the two solar panels (7). Next, move the fastening device of the positioning plate (2) with baffle (23) to the outside of the two solar panels (7). Please refer to Figure 8. Then rotate the nut (52) provided by the fastening device of the present invention so that the nut (52) pushes the positioning plate (2) down along the bolt (51) through the washer (4) and presses it onto the solar panel (7) so that the solar panel (7) is firmly clamped to the positioning plate (2) and the supporting steel beam (6). The meshing design of the second one-way ratchet (521) provided by the nut (52) and the first one-way ratchet (42) of the washer (4) can effectively prevent the nut (52) from loosening due to vibration and other factors after it is locked and positioned. Please refer to Figures 9 and 10. When the positioning plate (2) is locked in place, the positioning plate (2) of the fastening device between the two solar panels (7) is set by the partition (22) provided in the middle of its two ends, so that the two solar panels (7) are separated by an appropriate distance to avoid the two solar panels (7) from colliding with each other due to thermal expansion and contraction. The fastening device located on the outside of the two solar panels (7) is provided by the baffle (23) on the side of its positioning plate (2) to provide a blocking and protection effect on the side of the solar panel (7).

[0031] The foregoing embodiments or drawings are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. In addition to fixing solar panels (7) and other materials, the fastening device of the present invention can also be used in conjunction with the light steel frame of the ceiling. When the fastening device of the present invention is hung upside down on the ceiling, the positioning plate (2) of the fastening device can be used for hanging items. Furthermore, the fastening device of the present invention can omit the elastic element (3) and washer (4) as needed. When the washer (4) is omitted, the nut (52) can be directly locked onto the positioning plate (2). Therefore, any appropriate changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art should be considered as not departing from the patent scope of the present invention.

[0032] As can be seen from the above structure and implementation method, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0033] 1. The fastening device of the present invention is provided with a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove at the upper and lower ends of the main body of the device, respectively, so as to be assembled with the third plate provided at the upper and lower ends of the notch of the supporting steel beam. In this way, the assembly with the supporting steel beam can be easily completed on site, thereby achieving the benefits of greatly improving the efficiency of on-site construction.

[0034] 2. The fastening device of the present invention is provided with a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove at both ends of its main body, so as to slide and assemble with the third plate provided at both ends of the notch of the supporting steel beam. In this way, the fastening device of the present invention can be slid along the length of the supporting steel beam to the required position according to the size of the solar panel, and then the solar panel can be assembled and fixed. This further improves the convenience of on-site construction.

[0035] 3. The fastening device of the present invention has a first groove and a second groove respectively provided at both ends of the main body of the device, so as to be combined with the third plate provided at both ends of the notch of the supporting steel beam. In this way, there is no need to provide holes in the supporting steel beam, so as to maintain the structural strength and durability of the supporting steel beam.

[0036] 4. The fastening device of the present invention is to bend concavely at appropriate positions of the first plate and the second plate of the fastening device, thereby improving the structural strength of the first plate and the second plate. When assembled in the hollow section of the supporting steel beam, it can help increase the load strength of the supporting steel beam.

[0037] 5. The fastening device of the present invention utilizes the conical design of the first and second slide grooves of the main body of the device and the guide rounded corners provided at the groove openings to facilitate the smooth insertion of the second and third plates of the supporting steel beam into the first and second slide grooves of the main body of the device, thereby further improving the ease of assembly of the present invention and the supporting steel beam.

[0038] 6. The fastening device of the present invention is provided with one-way ratchet teeth on its nut and washer respectively. By means of the intermeshing design of the one-way ratchet teeth on the nut and washer, the nut can be locked and positioned to effectively prevent the nut from loosening due to vibration or other factors.

[0039] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention can indeed achieve the expected effects, and the specific structure disclosed therein has not only never been seen in similar products, but has also never been disclosed before the application. It has fully complied with the provisions and requirements of the Patent Law. Therefore, we hereby file an application for an invention patent and respectfully request your review and grant of a patent, which would be of great benefit. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0040] First Figure: Exploded View of the Invention; Second Figure: Side View of the Invention; Third Figure: Diagram of the Invention in Use (I); Fourth Figure: Diagram of the Invention in Use (II); Fifth Figure: Diagram of the Invention in Use (III); Sixth Figure: Diagram of the Invention in Use (IV); Seventh Figure: Diagram of the Invention in Use (V); Eighth Figure: Diagram of the Invention in Use (VI); Ninth Figure: Diagram of the Invention in Use (VII); Tenth Figure: Diagram of the Invention in Use (VIII)

Claims

1. A fastening device, comprising: a device body comprising a first plate and a second plate arranged in parallel, with a gap formed between the first plate and the second plate, the first plate and the second plate respectively having a first end and a second end, and each of the first plate and the second plate having a first groove extending toward its second end to an appropriate position at the first end of the first plate and the second plate respectively, and each of the first plate and the second plate having a second groove extending toward its first end to an appropriate position at the second end of the first plate and the second plate respectively, the first plate and the second plate being separated by the provided first groove and the second groove to form a first region and a second region, and a third plate being provided at the first end of the first plate and the second plate in the first region, the two sides of the third plate being respectively connected to the first end of the first plate and the second plate in the first region, and a first through hole being provided on the third plate; A positioning plate is located on one side of the third plate of the main body of the device, and a second through hole is provided on the positioning plate to correspond to the position of the first through hole provided on the third plate of the main body of the device; a locking fastener includes a bolt and a nut, the bolt is inserted into the first through hole of the main body of the device and the second through hole of the positioning plate, and is screwed together with the nut.

2. The fastening device as described in claim 1, wherein, The first plate and the second plate of the main body of the device have a first groove with a corresponding opening and bottom. The opening of the first groove of the first plate is located at the first end of the first plate, and the opening of the first groove of the second plate is located at the first end of the second plate. The groove diameter of the opening of the first groove of the first plate and the second plate is smaller than the groove diameter of the bottom, so that the first groove is conical. A rounded corner is formed on one side of the opening of the first groove.

3. The fastening device as described in claim 1, wherein, The first plate and the second plate of the main body of the device have a second groove with a corresponding opening and bottom. The opening of the second groove of the first plate is located at the second end of the second plate. The opening of the second groove of the second plate is located at the second end of the second plate. The groove diameter of the opening of the second groove of the first plate and the second plate is smaller than the groove diameter of the bottom, so that the second groove is conical. A rounded corner is formed on one side of the opening of the second groove.

4. The fastening device as described in claim 1, wherein, The first plate and the second plate of the main body of the device are connected to the third plate at the first end of the first region, and a height difference is formed between the third plate and the first end of the first plate and the second plate at the first end of the second region.

5. The fastening device as described in claim 1, wherein, The first plate and the second plate of the main body of the device are respectively folded inward in the direction of the interval between the first plate and the second plate in the first region and the second region, so that a reinforcing part is formed at each of the folds.

6. The fastening device as described in claim 1, wherein, The positioning plate has a partition formed by concave folding at its two opposite ends.

7. The fastening device as described in claim 1, wherein, The positioning plate is attached to a baffle plate on one side.

8. The fastening device as described in claim 1, wherein, The fastening device further includes an elastic element located between the third plate and the positioning plate of the device body. The two ends of the elastic element are respectively in contact with the third plate and the positioning plate of the device body. The elastic element has a through hole in the center, which corresponds to the position of the first through hole in the third plate of the device body and the second through hole in the positioning plate. The bolt of the fastener passes through the first through hole in the device body, the through hole in the elastic element, and the second through hole in the positioning plate to be screwed together with the nut.

9. The fastening device as described in claim 1, wherein, The fastening device further includes a washer located between the positioning plate and the nut of the fastener, and a through hole is provided in the center of the washer to correspond to the position of the second through hole of the positioning plate. The bolt of the fastener passes through the first through hole of the device body, the second through hole of the positioning plate and the through hole of the washer to be screwed together with the nut.

10. The fastening device as described in claim 9, wherein, The washer has a number of first one-way ratchet teeth formed on one end face facing the nut, and the nut has a number of second one-way ratchet teeth formed on the end face facing the washer. The second one-way ratchet teeth engage with the first one-way ratchet teeth of the washer.

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