Carpet Fastener With Deformable Arms and Annular Groove
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fasteners for fixing mats to carpets in vehicles lack efficient and reliable mechanisms for secure attachment and easy installation, particularly in terms of minimizing the required force for fixing while maintaining high pull-out resistance.
Innovation Solution
A fastener system comprising a base element with a mushroom-shaped head and a female element featuring deformable arms that deform to fit into an annular groove, allowing for secure sandwiching of the carpet and mat between flanges with minimal installation force and high pull-out resistance, fabricated from plastic materials for ease of production and use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the female element uses rigid teeth that locate on the shoulder of the base element, then the fixing strength is high, but the installation force required is very high and the structure is complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the arms of the female element deformable rather than rigid. The arms are designed to flex during installation to pass over the shoulder of the base element, then return to their original position to engage with the annular groove, providing both easy installation and strong fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical state of the arms from rigid to flexible. The arms are made of elastic material that can change their deformation state during installation - flexible during insertion, then locked in place when engaged with the groove, achieving both low installation force and high pull-out resistance.
2Strength
If the fastener uses a thick structure to ensure strength, then the pull-out resistance is high, but the overall thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable arms provide dynamic engagement with the annular groove, allowing the fastener to achieve high pull-out resistance through the elastic recovery of the arms rather than through increased thickness. The arms flex during installation but provide strong mechanical interlocking when engaged.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are nested within the annular groove when engaged, with the central portions of the arms positioned within the groove boundaries. This nesting arrangement provides strong fixation while maintaining a compact overall thickness, as the engagement features are contained within each other rather than extending outward.
3Reliability
If the fastener uses multiple deformation features for secure engagement, then the reliability is high, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the single arm structure: the arms provide both the deformation feature for engagement with the annular groove and the elastic recovery mechanism for secure fixation. The studs and arms are integrated features that work together as a unified system, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are designed with specific elastic parameters that allow them to deform during installation and then recover to engage the groove. This controlled parameter change provides reliable engagement while the uniform elastic properties of the arms make them straightforward to manufacture from elastic material.
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
The fastener system provides improved performance by requiring a moderate installation force while ensuring high pull-out resistance and a reduced overall thickness, facilitating easy fabrication and use, with deformable arms that securely engage the base element's groove for effective mat-to-carpet attachment.
Implementation Method 1
deformable arms, each of said arms extending between two consecutive studs transversely to the direction of pushing said female element from said release position to said fixing position, each of said arms having a central portion disposed in said annular groove when said female element is in the fixing position on said base element, and each of said arms being adapted to be deformed during pushing so that they move apart and then locate in said annular groove
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~7
Figure 8~11
AI summary
A fastener for fixing a mat to a carpet includes a female element (3) having a cap (6) and a female eyelet (5) to sandwich a mat therebetween. A base element (2) is engageable with the female element (3) and includes a carpet holding arrangement for holding a carpet. The base element (2) includes an enlarged head (33) provided with an annular groove (40). The female eyelet (3) includes at least two studs (10) projecting inward, and deformable arms (11) each of which extends between two adjacent studs (10) transversely to a direction of pushing the head (33) of the base element (2) into the female eyelet (3). Each arm (11) has a central portion (19) disposed in the annular groove (40) when the female element (3) is engaged with the base element (2).