Clip-Retained Nut Assembly for Fast Plate Mounting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current assembly methods for plates by bolting, particularly in industrial applications for robotic trolleys, are labor-intensive and require specific manufacturing processes, making them time-consuming and costly, with nuts needing to be manually mounted and adapted to different plate thicknesses.
Innovation Solution
A modular assembly device comprising a commercial nut with a hollow body and a removable holding part, such as a clip, that can be easily attached to the nut, allowing for automated assembly and secure positioning within a housing, facilitating the use of identical nuts across varying plate thicknesses and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nuts are manually mounted and positioned in plates with specific profile recesses, then the nuts can be securely held in place before screw insertion, but the assembly process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the nut positioning system into separate functional elements: a standardized nut and a separate retaining element (such as a clip or retainer) that attaches to the nut. This segmentation allows the nut itself to remain a simple, manufacturable component while the retaining element provides the positioning function, enabling faster assembly without compromising security.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary retaining element that mediates between the nut and the plate housing. This retaining element attaches to the nut and engages with the housing to hold the nut in position, separating the functions of fastening (nut) and positioning (retainer), thereby simplifying the overall assembly process and improving productivity.
2Reliability
If specific profile recesses with retaining tabs are cut into plates, then nuts can be held in place, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex retaining tab feature from the plate housing and transfers it to a separate, removable retaining element. This allows the plate housing to have a simpler, easier-to-manufacture geometry while the retention function is provided by the detachable retainer that attaches to the nut, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining element serves as a universal component that can be used with standardized nuts across different plate applications. Instead of custom-molding each plate with specific retention profiles, the same retaining element can be attached to standard nuts and used in various housing designs, simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs.
3Manufacturing precision
If nuts are custom-manufactured with grooves and tabs adapted to specific plate thicknesses, then precise retention is achieved, but inventory management and adaptability become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention decouples the retention mechanism from the nut itself, allowing the nut to remain a standardized component with fixed dimensions. The retaining element is designed to accommodate variations in plate thickness through its engagement geometry with the housing, enabling the same nut-retainer assembly to work across different plate thicknesses without requiring custom nuts for each application.
4Reliability
If folding and folding of retaining tabs are performed manually, then nuts are securely locked in place, but the operation requires precision and time
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining element is designed to automatically engage and lock into position through its own elastic or spring-loaded mechanism, without requiring manual folding or complex manipulation. The element self-secures to the nut and self-engages with the housing features, eliminating the time-consuming manual tab folding operation while maintaining secure locking.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5A~8B
Figure 8C~10B
AI summary
Assembly device (1) comprising on the one hand a nut having a hollow body (11) and a flange (12), and on the other hand a part (5) suitable for being removably associated with the nut by being attached to the flange (12) and/or around the body (11) of the nut, the part (5) constituting a means of locking the device in the position of use of said device.