Ball-Joint Handrail Connector for Variable-Angle Tubular Bars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current angular connection means for tubular protection bars and handrails only allow for 90° angles, limiting the ability to efficiently utilize space and create functional designs with non-90° front corners in sales counters and handrails, as forming different angles requires multiple expensive connection elements.
Innovation Solution
An angular connection means using spherical heads and matching spherical half-seats in superposable angular half-elements, allowing for the formation of angles between 70° and 135° in the horizontal plane and ±45° in the vertical plane, enabling flexible angulation of tubular bars and handrails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional angular connection means are used to form non-90° angles, then space utilization and functional design are improved, but the cost increases due to requiring multiple different angular elements
Solution Approach 1:
The connection element is designed with a spherical head and a spherical seat that can accommodate any angular orientation. The spherical geometry allows the same connection element to form any angle between two bars, eliminating the need for multiple specialized angular connectors. This universal design enables the single connection element to perform the function of what would otherwise require multiple different angled connectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection element incorporates spherical surfaces - a spherical head on one component and a spherical seat on the other. This spheroidal geometry provides rotational freedom and allows the bars to be connected at any angle while maintaining a rigid connection. The curved spherical surfaces enable angular adjustment without requiring different shaped connectors for different angles.
2Ease of manufacture
If fixed-angle connection means are used, then manufacturing and inventory costs are reduced, but the ability to optimize space and functional design is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The connection element is designed as a universal component that can create any angle configuration. The spherical head and seat mechanism allows a single standardized part to replace multiple angle-specific connectors, achieving both manufacturing efficiency and design flexibility simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection element incorporates a dynamic angular adjustment capability through its spherical geometry. While the connection itself is rigid, the spherical interface allows the bars to be positioned at any angle during installation, providing dynamic adaptability without requiring multiple fixed-angle components.
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 the formation of various angles between tubular protection bars and handrails, optimizing space usage and functional design, while reducing the need for multiple expensive connection elements, and allowing for adjustable orientations in both horizontal and vertical planes.
Implementation Method 1
said head of each of the two expandable elements is a spherical head, and in that said half-seats provided in the two angular half-elements have a spherical surface shape mateable with the spherical surface of the relative spherical head to form a ball joint
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The angular connection means (10) for tubular protection bars (12.1, 12.2) or handrails, comprises: two elements (14.1, 14.2) each comprising an expandable part (13.1, 13.2) insertable, before expansion, into the open end of a relative bar (12.1, 12.2), the expandable element (14.1, 14.2) remaining locked within the bar (12.1, 12.2) following expansion, each expandable element (14.1, 14.2) also comprising a part (22.1, 22.2) intended to project from the end of the relative bar (12.1, 12.2) and comprising a coaxial head; an angular connection element (24) comprising two superposable angular half-elements (24s, 24i), each provided with corresponding half-seats (34.1, 34.2) adapted to receive the head (20.1, 20.2) of each of the two expandable elements (14.1, 14.2) to establish a connection between these latter when the two half-elements (24s, 24i) are superposed and joined together by connection means (26, 28). The head (22.1, 22.2) of each of the two expandable elements (14.1, 14.2) is a spherical head, the half-seats (34.1, 34.2) having a spherical surface shape (34.1, 34.2) mateable with the spherical surface of the relative spherical head (22.1, 22.2) to form a ball joint.