Adjustable Shower Enclosure Mounting Assembly With Concealed Fixings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower enclosure mounting assemblies face difficulties in easy adjustment and securement to walls, particularly with respect to how the wall channel is attached, leading to cumbersome adjustment processes.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable mounting assembly featuring a wall channel with an integrated adjustment channel and connection means, including a fixing block and adjustable fixing member, allowing for transverse movement and securement to the wall, with the profile strip covering the fixing members for aesthetics and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw through the side of the wall channel is used to secure the profile strip, then the profile strip can be secured in position, but the adjustment process becomes cumbersome and the screw head is exposed outside the wall channel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs nesting by placing the adjustment channel inside the wall channel, and the profile strip inside the adjustment channel. The screws are nested within the adjustment channel structure, with their heads concealed by the profile strip. This nested arrangement allows securement while maintaining ease of adjustment and aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment channel acts as an intermediary component between the wall channel and the profile strip. It provides a mechanism for adjusting the profile strip position while keeping all fastening elements concealed, thus mediating between the need for securement and the need for ease of operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the adjustment channel is made adjustable to move towards and away from the base of the wall channel, then the alignment can be optimized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly is segmented into distinct components: wall channel, adjustment channel, profile strip, and fixing members. This segmentation allows the adjustment channel to be independently positioned and adjusted relative to the wall channel, achieving precise alignment without requiring complex integrated mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment channel is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to move towards and away from the base of the wall channel. This dynamic feature enables precise alignment adjustment while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through the use of straightforward fixing mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable mounting assembly includes a wall channel; an adjustment channel fitting within the wall channel; and a connection means arranged to adjustably connect the adjustment channel to the wall channel. The connection means includes a fixing block, with a first aperture therethrough, arranged to fit within the wall channel and between the wall and adjustment channels, the first aperture arranged to receive a wall fixing member arranged to pass through the base of the wall channel so as to secure the fixing block to the wall channel; and an adjustable fixing member arranged to secure the adjustment channel to the fixing block, a head of the adjustable fixing member being within the adjustment channel in use; wherein movement of the adjustable fixing member is arranged to allow movement of the adjustment channel, and the adjustment channel is arranged to receive a profile strip to cover the adjustable fixing member.