U-Shaped Clamp With Pivotable Plates For Rib Support Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for attaching elongate objects to rib-shaped supports often cause damage to the carrier surface due to direct contact and friction, particularly on mechanically sensitive surfaces like painted ones.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped clamp with pivotable plates that rest initially on a connecting element between the plates, coated with an adhesion promoter, which pivots to bear against the carrier's side surfaces, preventing surface damage and using projections and film hinges for secure locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a clamp with pressure elements is used to secure the elongated object, then the gripping force is improved, but the support surface may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a film as an intermediary layer between the clamp and the support surface. This film is applied to the contact surfaces of the clamp legs, allowing the clamp to exert gripping force while preventing direct contact with the support, thereby avoiding surface damage. The film acts as a protective mediator that enables the clamp to function without harming the underlying surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a protective film in advance to the clamp surfaces before mounting. This film serves as a pre-established protective layer that cushions against potential surface damage during installation and use. The film is applied beforehand to ensure that when the clamp contacts the support surface, the damage is prevented from the outset rather than remedied later.
2Device complexity
If the clamp is designed with simple contact surfaces, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adhesion to the substrate is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface parameters of the clamp by applying a film with specific adhesive properties. This film modifies the contact surfaces to have enhanced adhesion characteristics without fundamentally changing the clamp's structural design. The parameter change occurs at the surface level rather than the structural level, maintaining simplicity while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive film serves as an intermediary layer that enhances the bond between the clamp and the substrate. Rather than requiring complex mechanical interlocking structures, the film provides a chemical or molecular-level adhesion mechanism that secures the clamp firmly to the support surface while keeping the overall device design simple.
3Ease of operation
If the clamp legs directly contact the support during installation, then the installation process is simplified, but surface scratching occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The protective film is applied to the clamp legs before installation begins. This pre-established protective layer ensures that during the sliding and pressing operations of installation, the support surface is cushioned against scratching. The film absorbs the mechanical stress of installation without transferring it to the underlying surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The film acts as a mediator between the clamp legs and the support surface during installation. It allows the clamp to be installed through normal sliding and pressing motions while preventing direct contact between the clamp material and the support surface, thereby eliminating scratching while maintaining ease of installation.
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 solution ensures no load is exerted on the carrier's surface during attachment, preventing damage and providing a secure, damage-free fastening mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
The plates are coated with an adhesion promoter on the surfaces intended for contact with the substrate, which ensures a firm bond between the clamp and the substrate when in the mounting position.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~7
AI summary
A device for attaching an elongated object (7) to a rib-shaped support (18) is described, in which an approximately U-shaped clamp (1) made of mechanically stable material is used. The clamp has a substantially straight base (2) and two legs (4) projecting from it at a distance from each other in the same direction. In the mounting position, the elongated object (7) is attached to the base (2) of the clamp (1), and the legs (4) of the clamp (1) are positioned on two opposite sides of the support (18). At the free ends of each of the two legs (4) of the clamp (1), a plate (9) is arranged that can be pivoted about a pivot point. In the rest position, both plates are approximately perpendicular to the direction of the legs (4) and are connected to each other by a flexible connecting element (14).When the clamp (1) is pushed onto the support (18), the two plates (9) can be pivoted by the same about their pivot points (13) such that in an end position they each rest against the support (18) on one side of the support.