Accessory support bracket
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing office furniture brackets lack a versatile and adjustable mechanism to securely attach various electronic accessories to desks, leading to instability and limited compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A bracket with a clamp mechanism featuring a backing plate with a rack, stationary and moveable clamping platforms, and a locking mechanism that allows for adjustable and secure attachment of accessories to office furniture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a bracket uses a fixed clamping mechanism, then the structure is simple, but the adaptability to different desk thicknesses and accessory sizes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket employs a moveable clamping platform that can slide along the backing plate to accommodate different desk thicknesses, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one. The moveable platform is guided by side rails and can be positioned at different locations along the rack, allowing the bracket to adapt to various desk dimensions while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping mechanism is divided into distinct functional segments: the backing plate with rack, the moveable clamping platform with worm gear, the stationary clamping platform, and the side rails. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together as a unified system, enabling adjustability without excessive overall complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a bracket uses an adjustable locking mechanism, then the versatility increases, but the ease of operation decreases due to additional adjustment steps
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket replaces complex multi-step adjustment mechanisms with a simple worm gear locking system. The worm gear engages with the rack to provide self-locking capability, allowing the moveable clamping platform to be easily positioned and then securely locked in place with a single rotational motion, eliminating the need for separate locking steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The worm gear mechanism provides self-locking functionality, where the geometry of the worm gear teeth automatically prevents backward motion once engaged. This self-service feature maintains the adjusted position without requiring additional locking components or steps, simplifying operation while preserving adjustability.
3Reliability
If a bracket uses a worm gear locking mechanism, then the security of attachment improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket uses a worm gear mechanism that replaces more complex locking systems with a single, integrated component. The worm gear's inherent mechanical properties provide self-locking and high holding force, achieving reliable attachment security through a relatively simple geometric design rather than multiple separate locking components.
Solution Approach 2:
The worm gear serves multiple functions simultaneously: it translates rotational motion into linear motion for positioning the moveable clamping platform, provides self-locking to maintain the position, and engages with the rack to prevent accidental displacement. This multi-functionality achieves high reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a bracket includes a moveable clamping platform with locking mechanism, then the adaptability to different accessories improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is manufactured as segmented components (backing plate, moveable clamping platform, stationary clamping platform, side rails) that can be produced independently using standard manufacturing processes. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function and manufactured separately, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while enabling adaptability through assembly variation.
Solution Approach 2:
The moveable clamping platform is designed as a separate, standardized component that slides along pre-fabricated side rails. This dynamic component can be manufactured once and reused across different bracket configurations, reducing manufacturing complexity compared to creating entirely different brackets for each accessory type.
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket configured to selectively couple an accessory to a piece of furniture, where the bracket includes a backing plate including a pair of longitudinally extending opposed side rails and a rack having a plurality of teeth, the teeth extending between the pair of opposed side rails. A stationary clamping platform is fixedly coupled to the backing plate, where the accessory is supported by the stationary clamping platform. A moveable clamping platform has a clamping surface oriented parallel to the clamping surface of the stationary clamping platform, where the moveable clamping platform is coupled to the opposed side rails to be selectively moveable along the backplate. A locking mechanism is supported by the moveable clamping platform and is rotatable relative to the moveable clamping platform, where the locking mechanism includes a plurality of teeth configured to selectively meshingly engage with the rack.