AC Unit Support Bracket With Retained Sliding Screw Slot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support brackets for air-conditioning units are cumbersome and complicated to install, particularly due to the need for locking screws to be manually held in place during installation, which is difficult at heights and disadvantageous positions.
Innovation Solution
A support bracket with a second bracket portion featuring a through-opening in the form of an elongate slot and a guide and abutment element, made of plastics material, that prevents screws from falling out by engaging with the screw head and allowing it to be slidably retained until a locking nut is secured.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If locking screws are inserted through slot-like openings in brackets fixed at heights above ground, then equipment can be anchored to the bracket, but the screws must be manually held in place by the fitter until the locking nut is screwed on, complicating the fixing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket includes integrated retention features (such as protrusions or enlarged opening sections) that automatically hold the screw head in place before the locking nut is applied. This preliminary retention action eliminates the need for manual screw holding by the fitter, allowing one-handed operation and simplifying the installation process while ensuring reliable screw retention throughout the procedure
2Strength
If brackets are made with U-shaped cross-section from metal material, then adequate resistance to loads is provided, but the structure becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is constructed by fixing a plastic component to a metal profile, creating a composite structure that combines the high strength and load-bearing capacity of metal with the manufacturing advantages and cost-effectiveness of plastic. The plastic component can be molded to include the retention features for screw holding, while the metal profile provides the necessary structural strength, thereby reducing overall complexity compared to purely metal construction with machined retention features
Data Source
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AI summary
There is described a support bracket for equipment, in particular units for airconditioning plants, comprising a first bracket portion and a second bracket portion (2, 3) which are arranged for anchoring the bracket to a wall and for supporting and fixing the equipment to the bracket, respectively, the first and second bracket portions (2, 3) being able to be secured to each other in an operating condition, in which they assume an L-shaped configuration suitable for supporting the equipment, there being defined on the second bracket portion (3) a surface portion (4) which is intended for supporting the equipment, the surface portion (4) being provided with at least one through-opening (5) which is in the form of an elongate slot, for engaging in a sliding manner with at least one respective screw type clamping member (6) which is intended to anchor the equipment on the corresponding bracket, the bracket comprising, in the region of the at least one through-opening (5), a guide and abutment element (10; 25) which can be fixedly joined to the second bracket portion (3) in a position below the surface portion (4) and which is able to abut the screw type member (6) when the screw type member is inserted in the opening (5) so as to prevent the screw type member from falling out of the opening.