Ceiling Anchor Assembly With Curved Prongs for Normal Load Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wall-mounted anchors are not effectively designed to suspend items from ceilings, as they are primarily configured to resist shear forces rather than normal forces, leading to instability and dislodgment under load.
Innovation Solution
The use of a base plate with a load-bearing connector and insert plates with curved prongs that penetrate into the ceiling, aligning the force vector with the normal axis of the base plate to resist normal forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wall-mounted anchors are used for ceiling suspension, then installation simplicity is maintained, but load-bearing capacity and stability deteriorate due to shear force design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional anchor design by switching from shear force resistance (wall-mounted) to normal force resistance (ceiling-mounted). The curved prongs are designed to penetrate the ceiling and resist loads pulling upward, opposite to the conventional downward shear force orientation, thereby achieving both ease of installation and high load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the critical parameter from shear force orientation to normal force orientation. By designing the curved prongs to engage with the ceiling material in tension rather than shear, the anchor achieves superior load-bearing capacity while maintaining installation simplicity through the same basic penetration mechanism.
2Strength
If curved prongs are used to penetrate the ceiling, then normal force resistance improves, but the risk of prong retreat increases under lateral loads
Solution Approach 1:
The curved prongs feature asymmetric geometry with a rounded leading end for easy penetration and a barred trailing end for retention. This asymmetry allows the prong to pass through the ceiling material in one direction while the barred end prevents retreat, resolving the contradiction between penetration ease and retention stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of lateral loads that could cause prong retreat into a benefit by designing the barred end to engage with the ceiling material. The same lateral forces that might cause retreat instead cause the bar to wedge tighter against the ceiling, enhancing retention stability.
3Strength
If force vector is aligned with normal axis, then load-bearing capacity increases, but installation precision requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The curved prongs are designed to self-align during installation, with the rounded leading end naturally guiding the prong into the correct orientation as it penetrates the ceiling. This self-alignment mechanism reduces installation precision requirements while ensuring the force vector aligns with the normal axis for maximum load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded, curved geometry of the prong's leading end facilitates easy penetration and automatic alignment with the ceiling surface normal. The curvature allows the prong to conform to slight variations in ceiling flatness while maintaining proper force vector alignment, reducing installation precision requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
Arrangements for suspending one or more items from a ceiling. Such arrangements may use a base plate along with prong-bearing insert plates that are attached to the ceiling. At least one item may be connected to a load-bearing connector of the base plate, so that a load that is applied to the base plate as a result of the mass of the item produces a force vector that is at least generally aligned with a normal axis of the base plate.