Adjustable Clamping Bracket for Through-Ceiling Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brackets lack adjustability when positioned on the inaccessible side of a membrane or surface, such as in ceiling-mounted fire suppression sprinkler systems, where access is limited, making it difficult to align and adjust the sprinkler with the ceiling opening without costly modifications.
Innovation Solution
A bracket design featuring a base with a movable arm and finger mechanism that allows for easy adjustment by pivoting and rotating to secure or release the item, enabling alignment and positioning even when access is restricted, using a combination of pivotally mounted arms and threaded shafts for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bracket is positioned on the inaccessible side of the ceiling surface, then the sprinkler can be securely mounted to the support, but access to the bracket for adjustment is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket inverts the traditional operation sequence by allowing the item to be secured first (arm in closed position), and then providing a release mechanism (finger movement) that enables adjustment afterward. This inversion resolves the contradiction by making the inaccessible bracket accessible through a two-stage process: secure mounting first, then controlled release for adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The finger acts as an intermediary mechanism between the operator and the arm closure. By moving the finger between engagement with the contact surface and disengagement, it mediates between the need for secure closure and the need for adjustment access, allowing controlled release without requiring access to the bracket's main body.
2Ease of manufacture
If the ceiling opening is kept small to avoid costly repairs, then construction costs are reduced, but access to the bracket for adjustment is inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is segmented into functional components (base, arm, finger, contact surface) that can operate independently. The finger mechanism can be actuated through the small ceiling opening separately from the main bracket structure, allowing adjustment access without requiring a large opening while maintaining secure mounting through the segmented design.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism operates in a different dimensional space by using the finger's linear movement along its axis to control the arm's rotational closure. This dimensional transformation allows the adjustment function to be accessed through a small opening while the main bracket remains securely mounted, separating the adjustment access requirement from the mounting requirement.
3Reliability
If the arm is held in the closed position to retain the item, then the item is securely retained, but adjustment of the item position is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket transitions from a static closure mechanism to a dynamic one by introducing the movable finger that can change states between engaged and disengaged. When engaged, the arm is held closed for secure retention; when disengaged, the arm can open for adjustment. This dynamic state change allows the system to adapt between retention and adjustment modes without compromising either function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of arm position from fixed (closed) to variable by introducing the finger mechanism. The finger's position along its axis controls whether the arm remains closed or can open, allowing the retention parameter to be changed on demand. This parameter change enables the arm to maintain closed position for security while allowing opening for adjustment when needed.
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
Enables easy adjustment and secure positioning of items on the opposite side of a barrier or membrane, enhancing usability in applications like ceiling-mounted sprinkler systems without requiring extensive modifications, and can be applied to various structural orientations and fixtures.
Implementation Method 1
The finger may comprise a threaded shaft threadedly engaged with the base. Rotation of the threaded shaft moves the finger transversely to the base.
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket positioned on one side of a membrane or surface is adjustable from the other side of the surface to permit the position of an item supported by the bracket to be readily adjusted relatively to the surface. The bracket has a base to which an arm is movably attached. The arm moves between an open and a closed position to permit the item to be received by the bracket. In the closed position the item is clamped between the base and the arm. A finger is mounted on the base and is movable into and out of engagement with a contact surface on the arm. When the finger engages the contact surface it secures the arm in the closed position and effects the clamping action which holds the item in position. The finger and arm are readily accessible to permit adjustment.