Adjustable Barb Anchor for Soft Insulation Suspension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional screws and nails are not suitable for suspending objects made of materials like polystyrene, mineral wool, or glass wool, as they lack sufficient purchase or friction. Additionally, existing anchors can be difficult to adjust and may compromise safety during fires.
Innovation Solution
An anchor system comprising a shaft with a selectively adjustable barb connection, allowing for precise adjustment of the barb's location along the shaft. The barb is designed to be resiliently deformable, providing a spring-like mechanism that enhances retention and safety, even under adverse conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional screws or nails are used to suspend objects made of materials like polystyrene, mineral wool, or glass wool, then the installation process is simple, but the anchor lacks sufficient purchase or friction to provide reliable suspension
Solution Approach 1:
The barb is designed to be resiliently deformable rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically adapt to the bore wall during insertion and engagement. The barb can deform to pass through the bore material and then resiliently engage with the bore wall to provide secure anchoring, combining ease of installation with reliable suspension capacity.
2Ease of operation
If anchors with fixed barb positions are used, then the structure is simple, but adjustments to positioning are difficult without removing components or exposing the anchor
Solution Approach 1:
The barb's resiliently deformable nature allows it to be dynamically repositioned along the shaft by applying force to deform it past the shaft surface, then releasing to engage at a new position. This provides adjustability without requiring component removal or complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The position of the barb along the shaft can be changed by deforming the barb to alter its engagement point. This parameter change (barb position) is achieved through controlled deformation and engagement, allowing adjustment while maintaining a relatively simple anchor structure.
3Reliability
If conventional fixings are used, then the installation is straightforward, but they compromise safety when exposed to fire
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor employs a barb made of resiliently deformable material that can be selected for fire resistance, combined with a shaft structure that allows secure engagement. This composite approach enables the selection of fire-resistant materials for critical components while maintaining ease of installation through the barb's deformable engagement mechanism.
4Reliability
If screws with enlarged thread depth are used to increase purchase on soft materials, then friction and resistance to longitudinal movement are increased, but the anchor becomes more complex and harder to adjust
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of enlarging the thread depth of the entire screw, the invention extracts the anchoring function to a separate barb element that engages with the bore wall. This separates the engagement function from the shaft structure, providing reliable frictional engagement without the complexity of deep threads throughout the entire fastener.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The anchor system provides improved adjustability and retention for suspending objects, particularly those made of challenging materials. It also enhances safety by maintaining engagement during fires and reducing the risk of objects falling or becoming additional flammable material.
Implementation Method 1
The barb is resiliently deformable and has a bias to an undeformed shape, the barb impeding movement of the shaft in use by the bias being configured to urge the barb towards the undeformed shape
Data Source
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Figure 3
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AI summary
There is provided an anchor for a baffle. The anchor comprises a shaft securable, in use, at a first end with a suspension cable; and a barb having a connection to the shaft, the connection to the shaft being selectively adjustable to alter a location of the barb along the shaft. The barb is orientated to be engageable with a body radially adjacent to the shaft such that, when engaged with the body, the barb impedes movement of the shaft in an axial direction.