Support structure for an article, method of mounting the support structure, and support bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in accurately mounting modular articles like display units on walls made of bricks or concrete, where drill deviations and uneven surfaces complicate the precise alignment of holes, requiring time-consuming adjustments and additional costly components for alignment.
Innovation Solution
A support structure comprising a bracket with adjustable openings and a support element that acts as a washer, allowing for compensation of drilling inaccuracies and direct support, enabling single-operation securement and alignment of multiple brackets without direct interconnection of articles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional drilling methods are used to form holes in the wall, then the mounting process can be completed, but the holes are often misaligned due to drill deviation and hand-held inaccuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a template with pre-marked hole positions and pre-drilled guide holes before the actual mounting holes are drilled. The template is positioned and secured to the wall first, establishing accurate reference points that guide subsequent drilling operations, thereby preventing drill deviation and ensuring precise hole alignment from the outset.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a template as an intermediary device between the mounting brackets and the wall. This template serves as a mediator that transfers the precise geometric relationships from the manufacturing stage to the installation stage, enabling accurate hole positioning without requiring high skill or precision from the installer during the actual drilling process.
2Strength
If multiple holes are drilled to support heavy articles, then the weight capacity is sufficient, but the alignment accuracy deteriorates due to cumulative drill deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The template is prepared in advance with all hole positions precisely marked and guide holes pre-drilled. This preliminary action ensures that when multiple mounting holes are drilled to support heavy articles, each hole is drilled through the pre-established guide holes in the template, preventing cumulative deviation and maintaining alignment accuracy across the entire array of holes.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is segmented into the template (with guide holes) and the mounting brackets (with mounting holes). This segmentation allows the precision requirements to be concentrated in the template manufacturing stage, while the installation stage can proceed with less precision, as the template guides the positioning of multiple brackets and their corresponding holes.
3Area of stationary object
If modular articles are mounted in arrays, then large-area displays are achieved, but the alignment requirements between adjacent articles become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The template serves multiple functions: it positions multiple mounting brackets, establishes alignment references for adjacent articles, and ensures consistent spacing across the entire modular array. This universal template can be used for mounting multiple articles simultaneously, ensuring that all relative positioning requirements are met through a single reference system rather than requiring separate alignment procedures for each article.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the positioning functions for multiple articles into a single template system. Instead of aligning each modular article separately, the template combines all positioning information and guide holes into one unified reference structure, allowing all articles to be positioned relative to the same set of references, thereby ensuring consistent alignment across the entire display array.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the wall surface is uneven, then mounting on brick or concrete walls is possible, but achieving correct hole alignment becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The template is positioned and secured to the uneven wall surface first, establishing a stable reference plane. The guide holes in the template are then used to transfer precise positions to the mounting brackets. This preliminary establishment of references on the actual wall surface compensates for unevenness, as the template adapts to the wall's irregularities while maintaining accurate relative positioning for all mounting holes.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a support structure for an article. In particular, the invention relates to a support structure for mounting modular articles such as display units and the like upon a wall. The support structure comprises a support bracket (1), the support bracket having at least one opening (15), the opening being sized to accommodate a fixing (4) by which the support bracket may be secured to a wall (3), the opening being larger than the fixing whereby the position of the support bracket (1) may be adjusted relative to the fixing (4). The support structure also comprises a support element (2), the support element having a dimension (d) which is larger than the opening (15), the support element having a fixing hole (14) therethrough, the distance between the fixing hole (14) and the periphery of the support element (2) being non-uniform. The support bracket (1) has a support surface (12) adapted for engagement by the periphery of the support element (2). The invention also provides a method of mounting the support structure, and a support bracket for use in the structure and method.