Locking Clip for Billboard Tensioning System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for attaching and detaching display sheets from billboards often result in twisting, wrinkling, and distortion due to uneven tension and require multiple workers for installation, especially with lighter weight vinyl or polyethylene sheets which are prone to tearing.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece locking clip system comprising a base plate with retaining arms and a top plate with a hook and channel that securely attaches to a cable, allowing for even tension distribution and easy sheet replacement without detachment from the cable, designed to remain attached during installation, removal, and non-use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rope or cord is used to attach clamp apparatus to cable, then the clamp can be secured to the cable, but the display sheet twists and wrinkles due to uneven tension and 90-degree orientation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attaching the clamp to the cable with the cable running through holes in the clamp (which causes 90-degree orientation), the patent inverts the attachment method by having the cable run parallel to the face of the billboard and the clamp attach directly to the cable in line with the display sheet, eliminating twists and wrinkles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a specialized clamp apparatus with a cable attachment mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the cable and the display sheet, allowing the cable to run parallel to the billboard face while maintaining secure attachment and proper orientation
2Reliability
If clamp apparatus is attached directly to cable with cable running through holes, then secure attachment is achieved, but the clamp turns 90 degrees causing twists and folds in the display sheet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reverses the traditional attachment orientation by having the cable run parallel to the billboard face rather than perpendicular, with the clamp attaching directly to the cable in line with the display sheet, thereby maintaining proper sheet orientation and eliminating installation defects
3Reliability
If traditional tensioning devices are used, then the display sheet can be tensioned, but installation requires 2-3 workers and takes 20-30 minutes or more
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tensioning system into modular components including individual clamp apparatus units that can be independently attached and adjusted, allowing for faster installation and easier maintenance while maintaining effective tensioning capability
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp apparatus is designed to be easily attachable and detachable by a single worker without requiring complex tools or multiple persons, enabling the system to be serviced and adjusted independently
4Quantity of substance
If lighter weight vinyl or polyethylene sheets are used, then material cost is reduced and recyclability is improved, but the sheets are more subject to tearing from excess tensioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the tensioning parameters by using an adjustable clamp mechanism that allows precise control of tension force, preventing excessive tension that would cause tearing of lighter weight materials while still achieving adequate display sheet tautness
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp apparatus incorporates adjustable and movable components that allow dynamic adjustment of tension levels, enabling the system to adapt to the specific strength characteristics of lighter weight vinyl or polyethylene sheets
Data Source
AI summary
A clip for use in a cable system for stretching a sheet across a surface and maintaining it under tension, the clip comprising a base plate and a top plate. The base plate has a pair of opposing retaining arms extending from the top surface and a recessed area defined in the base plate. The top plate has a hook protruding from the top surface having a channel defined therein. The top plate slides between the arms of the base plate and is removably retained therein and the plates engage the edge of a sheet. The hook removably engages a cable and the sheet is stretched when the cable is tensioned. The clip can be retained on the cable when a sheet is to be replaced by partially separating the two plates.