Fastening device and table having such a fastening device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening systems for modular elements, such as table columns, often compromise on aesthetics, safety, ease of modification, and adaptability, particularly when requiring flexible positioning and compatibility with different table sizes and shapes, leading to deformation and increased wear.
Innovation Solution
A fastening device with a column plate and accommodation device that allows for flexible positioning along a longitudinal direction, featuring a clamping mechanism and a slit design for backlash-free accommodation, enabling the column to be securely fastened at any position without deforming the tabletop and minimizing wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fastening device with a defined position and stop element is used to clamp the column plate, then the column plate is securely fastened at a specific position, but the tabletop deforms when eccentric loads are applied or when different table configurations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the fixed stop element with a dynamic system where the column plate can be positioned at multiple locations along the longitudinal direction. The accommodation device provides a longitudinal slot that allows the column plate to be fastened at different positions, enabling the structure to adapt to varying load requirements and table configurations while maintaining secure fastening at each position.
Solution Approach 2:
The accommodation device is segmented into multiple possible fastening positions along its longitudinal direction. Instead of a single fixed position, the system divides the accommodation space into multiple discrete locations where the column plate can be secured, providing both stability and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If screws or wing screws are used to fasten the column plate, then the fastening can be adjusted to different positions, but the aesthetics are compromised and protruding parts create injury danger
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the protruding screw heads from the visible surface by using a cam mechanism that allows the fastening member to be inserted and secured from underneath or within the structure. The cam element enables tool-free adjustment while keeping all fastening components concealed, eliminating both aesthetic issues and safety hazards from protruding parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam mechanism acts as an intermediary between the fastening requirement and the aesthetic/safety requirement. It provides a means to secure the column plate at adjustable positions while keeping the fastening system concealed, mediating between the need for adjustability and the need for clean appearance and safety.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the column plate is fastened at a defined position to prevent deformation, then structural stability is maintained, but the system becomes time-consuming and laborious to modify for different applications
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transforms the static fastening system into a dynamic one where the column plate can be easily repositioned along the longitudinal direction of the accommodation device. The cam mechanism allows for quick release and repositioning without tools, enabling rapid modification while maintaining structural stability at each positioned configuration.
4Ease of operation
If a cam mechanism is used to clamp the column plate, then fastening and release can be easily performed, but the column plate must be securely held at the fastening position to prevent movement
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism utilizes a curved cam surface that provides progressive clamping force. As the cam element is rotated or pressed into position, the curved surface generates increasing normal force against the column plate, ensuring secure holding while allowing easy insertion and release through simple linear or rotational motion.
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 provides a flexible, secure, and adaptable fastening system that minimizes forces and moments, prevents deformation, and allows for easy repositioning of the column without relocating the accommodation device, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
a fastening device which presses, for example, a column plate at an upper end of the column towards a bottom side of the tabletop by means of a cam
Data Source
AI summary
For a flexible fastening, a fastening device for fastening a column to a support device comprises: a column plate which can be fastened to one end of the column and an accommodation device which can be fastened to the support device. The accommodation device has a longitudinal shape with a longitudinal direction and a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction and a cross-section, whereby an accommodation space configured to accommodate the column plate in a manner shiftable in the longitudinal direction and in an exactly fitting manner in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is formed. The fastening device comprises a fastening member configured to fasten the column plate to the accommodation device along the longitudinal direction, and, in the longitudinal direction, the column plate has a dimension which is smaller than the predetermined length in a state mounted in the fastening device.