Self-Drilling Expandable Anchor Assembly for Pre-Drill-Free Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expandable anchors and installation tools require drilling a hole before installation, increasing installation time, reducing ease of use, and increasing costs, as they are not self-drilling.
Innovation Solution
The development of self-drilling expandable anchors and tools that include an expandable member, a threaded member, a hanger, a drill head, and a friction reducing element, allowing for simultaneous drilling and expansion, enabling direct attachment to structures without pre-drilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-drilling is performed before anchor installation, then the anchor can be properly installed, but installation time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the drilling function and anchor installation function into a single integrated tool. The drill head is directly coupled to the anchor assembly, allowing both operations to be performed simultaneously through one insertion action, eliminating the sequential pre-drilling step while maintaining reliable anchor installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The installation tool serves multiple functions: it acts as both a drilling device and an anchor installation device. The drill head can drill through various materials (drywall, wood, metal) while the threaded rod simultaneously threads into the material, making the tool universally applicable for different substrate types without requiring separate drilling and installation operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If pre-drilling is performed before anchor installation, then proper anchor fit is achieved, but installation complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling and anchoring operations are merged into a single simultaneous action. As the drill head rotates and advances, it creates the hole while the threaded rod concurrently threads into the material, eliminating the need for separate precision drilling and anchor insertion steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is self-configuring during installation. The drill head automatically creates a hole of the appropriate size while the threaded rod simultaneously threads into the material at the correct depth, with the expansion mechanism automatically adjusting to fit the substrate without requiring pre-measured hole dimensions.
3Reliability
If separate drilling and anchoring tools are used, then each function is optimized, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the drill head, threaded rod, expansion mechanism, and fastening components into a single unified installation tool assembly. This merged design maintains the functional performance of separate tools while reducing overall system complexity and eliminating the need for multiple separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The installation tool is designed as a multi-functional device that performs drilling, threading, and anchoring operations simultaneously. The drill head can handle various materials while the threaded rod and expansion mechanism provide universal anchoring capability, replacing multiple specialized tools with one versatile device.
4Reliability
If multiple installation steps are used, then installation reliability is maintained, but installation time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple installation steps (drilling, threading, expanding, fastening) are merged into a single simultaneous operation. The drill head drills while the threaded rod threads and the expansion mechanism activates all in one motion, reducing installation time while maintaining the reliability of each individual step through coordinated execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The installation process maintains continuous useful action throughout the single insertion operation. The drill head continues drilling while the threaded rod continuously threads and the expansion mechanism continuously expands, ensuring that all installation functions are performed without interruption or idle time between steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-drilling expandable anchor installation tool operable with a self-drilling expandable anchor.