Anchor Rail Partial Toothing for Stable Concrete Fastening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing anchor rail systems face challenges in achieving stability and material selection due to conflicting requirements for the free legs, which need to be soft for deformation but also strong enough to bear weight without bending, and the deformation during fastening reduces stability further.

Innovation Solution

The anchor rail system incorporates free legs with partial toothing on their sides facing away from the anchor, allowing for a latching element with teeth to engage with the legs, enabling secure fastening without deformation and allowing for repositioning without stability loss, using the same material for both the anchor rail and locking element, and optimizing tooth orientation and depth for enhanced stability and force transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the free legs are made of soft material to allow deformation by fastening element teeth, then the fastening process is enabled, but the stability and load-bearing capacity of the anchor rail is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening processVSAvoidstability of anchor rail
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing toothing only on specific regions of the free legs (partially toothing) rather than uniformly across the entire surface. This allows localized deformation at the toothing regions while maintaining structural integrity and stability in the non-toothing regions of the free legs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent effectively creates a composite structure by combining toothed and non-toothed regions on the free legs. The toothed regions provide deformation capability for fastening, while the non-toothed regions maintain structural strength and stability, achieving a functional composite effect within a single material component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If the free legs are made of hard material to support weight and resist bending, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the fastening element teeth cannot deform and penetrate the legs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing capacityVSAvoidfastening process
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing toothing only on specific regions of the free legs (partially toothing) rather than uniformly across the entire surface. This allows localized deformation at the toothing regions while maintaining structural integrity and stability in the non-toothing regions of the free legs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If the free legs are deformed during fastening to create force-fit connection, then the fastening strength is improved, but the overall stability of the anchor rail is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening strengthVSAvoidoverall stability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing toothing only on specific regions of the free legs (partially toothing) rather than uniformly across the entire surface. This allows localized deformation at the toothing regions while maintaining structural integrity and stability in the non-toothing regions of the free legs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by providing toothing only on portions of the free legs rather than across the entire surface. This limited toothing is sufficient to create the necessary force-fit connection while minimizing the overall deformation and preserving the stability of the anchor rail structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Adaptability or versatility

If readjustment of the object position is performed by shifting the screw and fastener, then the positioning flexibility is improved, but further deformation of the free legs occurs reducing stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning flexibilityVSAvoidstability of anchor rail
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing toothing only on specific regions of the free legs (partially toothing) rather than uniformly across the entire surface. This allows localized deformation at the toothing regions while maintaining structural integrity and stability in the non-toothing regions of the free legs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3081707B1Anchor rail for anchoring in concrete and fixing system comprising an anchor rail
Publication Date: 2020.06.03 HALFEN GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3081707B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3081707B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3081707B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to an anchor rail (1) for anchoring in concrete and a fastening system with such an anchor rail (1). The anchor rail (1) has a substantially C-shaped cross-section. The anchor rail (1) comprises at least one anchor (2), two side walls (3), and two opposing free legs (4, 24, 34). A slot (5) is formed between the free legs (4, 24, 34) in the longitudinal direction (200) of the anchor rail (1). The free legs (4, 24, 34) have at least partial serrations (6, 46, 56, 66) on their side facing away from the anchor (2), and thus on the front outer surface of the anchor rail (1) with respect to the longitudinal direction (200). The fastening system comprises a locking element (12, 32, 41, 43) which has serrations (13, 25, 33, 44). The locking element (12, 32, 41, 43) is arranged on the free legs (4, 24, 34) of the anchor rail (1).The teeth (13, 25, 33, 44) of the locking element (12, 32, 41, 43) point towards the free legs (4, 24, 34) of the anchor rail (1). When the object (10, 50) is secured, the teeth (13, 25, 33) of the locking element (12, 32, 41, 43) engage with the teeth (6, 46, 56, 66) of the legs (4, 24, 34).