Cornerlock with Collar for Frame Assembly Aesthetic and Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cornerlocks for frame assemblies expose bare metal and burrs at the cut ends of frame members, leading to aesthetic issues and potential miter mismatches, which affect the consistency and appearance of the frame assembly.
Innovation Solution
A cornerlock design featuring rotatably coupled body members with a collar that engages the frame members at their hinge ends, hiding the cut surfaces and preventing burrs, while ensuring proper alignment and consistent sizing through the use of a collar that covers the mitered ends.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If frame members are cut and abut one another to form a frame assembly, then the frame assembly can be assembled from pre-cut members, but the cut ends expose bare metal and burrs that are aesthetically unappealing
Solution Approach 1:
A collar is introduced as an intermediary component between the frame members. The collar receives the distal ends of the frame members and provides a finished exterior surface that conceals the cut ends and burrs, thereby resolving the aesthetic issue while maintaining the ease of assembly from pre-cut members
Solution Approach 2:
The collar is positioned over the distal ends of the frame members, creating a nested structure where the collar encloses the cut surfaces. This nesting arrangement allows the collar to hide the aesthetically unappealing cut ends while the frame members remain structurally intact
2Adaptability or versatility
If frame members are cut to fit together, then the frame assembly can be customized to different configurations, but miter mismatch occurs between frame members
Solution Approach 1:
The collar serves as a mediator that standardizes the exterior appearance of the frame assembly. By providing a uniform collar component that fits over the cut ends, any minor variations in miter cutting are masked, ensuring consistent appearance across different frame configurations while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The collar provides a consistent exterior surface that uniformizes the appearance of the frame assembly. By covering the cut ends with a standardized component, visual inconsistencies from miter mismatches are eliminated, creating a uniform appearance across all frame members regardless of cutting variations
3Shape
If a collar is added to cover the cut ends, then aesthetic appearance and alignment are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides a finished aesthetic appearance, conceals burrs and cut surfaces, and helps maintain alignment between frame members. By consolidating these functions into a single component, the overall device complexity is minimized while achieving multiple benefits
Data Source
AI summary
A cornerlock is used with a frame assembly which includes first and second frame members each having a plurality of walls extending between first and second ends. Each of the first and second frame members define an interior with the cornerlock extending into the interiors. An article is coupled to the first and second frame members. The cornerlock includes a first body member configured to mate with the interior of the first frame member and a second body member configured to mate with the interior of the second frame member. Each of the body members has a hinge end and are rotatably coupled together at the hinge ends. A collar defines a hole with at least one of the first and second body members extending through the hole such that the collar is disposed substantially at the hinge end for engaging each of the first and second frame members.