Casket Medallion Adapter Plate Plumb Alignment Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mechanisms for attaching medallions to caskets and urns often result in misalignment of custom images or photos due to hand assembly, leading to canted displays when attached to adapter plates mounted on casket shells.

Innovation Solution

A plastic adapter plate with molded metallic fasteners and an annular magnetic plate allows for secure attachment and adjustment of medallions to ensure they are plumb by rotating relative to the adapter plate, utilizing keyhole grooves for securement and an annular track for magnet retention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If custom medallions are hand assembled with photos or artwork, then personalization is achieved, but the images may not be plumb relative to the magnets, resulting in canted displays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustom medallion assemblyVSAvoidimage alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter plate is pre-formed with an annular track and three recesses positioned at precise locations. The magnets are pre-positioned within these recesses during manufacturing, ensuring correct alignment before the medallion is assembled. This preliminary preparation of the adapter plate eliminates the need for manual alignment during custom medallion assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The adapter plate serves as an intermediary component between the casket shell and the custom medallion. It provides a pre-aligned magnetic mounting surface that mediates the connection, ensuring that regardless of how the medallion is assembled, the magnets will be correctly positioned relative to the adapter plate's annular track.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If magnets are mounted on the rear side of medallions for attachment, then secure mounting is achieved, but alignment precision deteriorates due to hand assembly variations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedallion attachmentVSAvoidmagnet positioning

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter plate is pre-formed with three recesses at precisely positioned locations where magnets will be placed. This preliminary preparation ensures that when magnets are attached to the adapter plate, their positions are predetermined and precise, eliminating alignment issues caused by hand assembly variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces manual magnet positioning with a molded adapter plate structure. Instead of relying on hand assembly to position magnets correctly, the adapter plate's recesses mechanically guide and secure the magnets in precise locations, substituting manual alignment with a pre-engineered structural solution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If the entire adapter plate is fabricated of ferrous material, then magnetic attachment is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemagnetic attachmentVSAvoidadapter plate fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter plate uses a composite construction: a non-ferrous base material (such as plastic or aluminum) for the main body, with ferrous components (magnets and recesses) strategically positioned only where needed for magnetic attachment. This composite approach provides the necessary magnetic functionality while reducing overall material costs and manufacturing complexity compared to a fully ferrous plate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making the entire adapter plate ferrous, the magnetic properties are concentrated locally at specific points where magnets are positioned in the recesses. This local quality approach provides magnetic attachment functionality only where required, reducing material costs and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining attachment reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 precise alignment and secure attachment of medallions on casket shells and urns, ensuring images or photos are displayed correctly and maintaining a centered position, enhancing personalization and aesthetics in funerary articles.

Implementation Method 1

at least one magnet mounted on the rear side of the medallion casket ornament for magnetically attaching the medallion to a magnetic cap panel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic attraction: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentUS10350126B1Casket ornament attachment mechanism

Publication Date: 2019.07.16 BATESVILLE SERVICES INC

AI summary

A casket comprises a casket shell, a casket lid closeable on the shell, at least one keyhole groove in the shell, a medallion casket ornament having a rear side, the ornament including at least one magnet mounted on the rear side, and an adapter plate having at least one rearward facing fastener with a head thereon and having a forward facing annular magnetic plate. The adapter plate is removably secured to the shell by inserting the head of the fastener in the keyhole groove and seating the head of the fastener in the keyhole groove. The ornament is removably secured to the shell by positioning the at least one magnet of the ornament on the annular magnetic plate. The ornament is plumbed by rotating the ornament relative to the adapter plate until the ornament is plumb.