Sheet Metal Screw Opening With Airtight Coating and Retained Lug

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sheet metal housings for electrical, electronic, and optical devices face challenges in achieving an airtight seal due to the need for adjustable connections and the use of screws through openings, which compromise airtightness.

Innovation Solution

A sheet metal part with penetrable openings covered by an airtight coating layer, featuring a weakened area that accommodates a screw's shank and a radially extending lug, allowing the opening to be penetrated without losing material or creating debris, and maintaining airtightness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If openings are provided in sheet metal parts for screw connections, then devices can be connected to the housing, but airtightness is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection capabilityVSAvoidairtight seal

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing a cover that seals the opening before the screw is inserted. The cover is pre-positioned to maintain airtightness, and only after the screw connection is established does the cover get removed or displaced, allowing the opening to remain sealed during assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cover acts as an intermediary element between the opening and the external environment. It temporarily fills the opening during assembly to maintain airtightness, then makes way for the screw shank after the connection is established, serving its sealing function without interfering with the final connected state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If material is removed to create openings, then screw penetration is enabled, but debris creation and material loss occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescrew penetrationVSAvoidmaterial loss and debris

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The opening structure is segmented into a central area for screw accommodation and a surrounding lug that remains connected to the sheet metal part. This segmentation allows the central area to be penetrated and removed while the lug portion stays attached, preventing debris creation and material loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of removing material to create an opening, the patent inverts the approach by creating a weakened area that allows the material to be pushed out or penetrated in a controlled manner. The lug extends radially outward and bends back when penetrated, inverting the traditional hole-creation process to prevent debris.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS12376250B2Sheet metal part for use in a housing for accommodating devices such as electrical, electronic and optical devices

Publication Date: 2025.07.29 MINKELS

AI summary

A sheet metal part for use in housing for accommodating devices such as electrical, electronic and optical devices is described. The sheet metal part comprises a penetrable opening through which the shank of a screw may be provided to bring the penetrable opening from an unpenetrated state to a penetrated state. The penetrable opening in the unpenetrated state is covered by an airtight coating layer, has a central area configured to accommodate a threaded shank of the screw and a lug extending radially outward from the central area over some distance, and the lug of the penetrable opening is configured to be bent back with the central area without coming loose from the sheet metal part when the penetrable opening is brought in the penetrated state by the shank of the screw.