Deformable Installation Socket for Electrical Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Installation boxes face challenges in providing sufficient internal volume for electrical and electronic devices while being able to fit through small openings in hollow walls or ceilings, maintaining dimensional stability, and ensuring a secure seal without compromising aesthetic appearance.

Innovation Solution

The design features a main box body with a secondary box body that can be temporarily turned inside out during assembly, allowing easy installation through small openings, and is made of a combination of rigid and soft plastic materials for stability and deformation, with the secondary body being deformable to increase internal volume and support the main body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the installation box is designed with sufficient internal volume to accommodate electrical and electronic devices, then the device capacity is improved, but the ability to fit through small openings in hollow walls deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinternal volumeVSAvoidinstallation opening size
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The installation box is divided into a main box body and a secondary box body that can be separated from each other. The secondary box body can be detached and stored inside the main box body when not in use, allowing the main box body to pass through small openings while providing additional volume when the secondary box body is attached.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The secondary box body can be stored inside the main box body when not in use, creating a nested configuration. This nesting allows the installation box to have a compact form factor for passing through small openings while providing expanded volume when the secondary box body is deployed and attached to the main box body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the installation box uses rigid materials to maintain dimensional stability under mechanical pressure, then the structural stability is improved, but the ability to deform for installation through small openings deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedimensional stabilityVSAvoiddeformation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The installation box uses different materials for different parts: the main box body is made of rigid plastic to maintain dimensional stability and structural integrity, while the secondary box body is made of soft, elastic plastic that can deform during installation. This local differentiation of material properties allows the box to maintain stability where needed while providing deformability for installation through small openings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The installation box is constructed from composite materials with different properties - rigid plastic for the main box body and soft, elastic plastic for the secondary box body. This composite construction allows the overall system to exhibit both rigidity for stability and flexibility for installation, resolving the contradiction between dimensional stability and deformation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If the installation box is designed as a single rigid structure, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the ability to adapt to different opening sizes deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to opening sizes
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The installation box is segmented into a main box body and a secondary box body that can be separately manufactured and then assembled. The secondary box body can be detached and stored inside the main box body, allowing a single manufactured unit to adapt to different opening sizes by configuring the secondary box body appropriately, while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes for each component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This design allows for a significant increase in internal volume, ease of installation through small openings, and maintains dimensional stability, while ensuring a secure seal and aesthetic integrity.

Implementation Method 1

The wall of the installation box is designed as a two-component element with a hard plastic component and a soft plastic component. The soft plastic component closes these types of openings and should be able to be pushed through relatively easily if necessary

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The hard plastic component serves as the actual mechanical support structure, into which openings, openings, connecting parts, plug-in tunnels and the like are made

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical support: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP3091624B1Installation socket for electric appliances
Publication Date: 2019.06.26 KAISER AKTIENGES
  • EP3091624B1 patent drawingFigure 1~6
  • EP3091624B1 patent drawingFigure 7~12
  • EP3091624B1 patent drawingFigure 13~18

AI summary

The invention relates to an installation box (1) for electrical installations. The installation box (1) has a first main body (2) which surrounds a first installation space (11). Furthermore, the installation box (1) has a secondary body (3) which projects laterally from the main body (2) and surrounds a second installation space (12). The secondary body (3) is designed to be deformable such that it can be inverted into the interior of the first installation space (11) of the main body (3).