Expanding Rivet With Breaking Point Section

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing expanding rivets require high insertion force and are prone to clamping leg spread when inserted at an angle, making them unreliable for secure attachment.

Innovation Solution

The expanding rivet features foot sections connected via a weakened breaking point section that acts as a hinge, allowing for easy insertion with low force and wide expansion, preventing clamping leg spread and ensuring reliable attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the foot sections are rigidly connected, then the clamping effect is high, but the insertion force required is very high and angled insertion causes clamping leg spread

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclamping effectVSAvoidinsertion force
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between foot sections transitions from rigid to flexible during insertion. The predetermined breaking point section acts as a hinge during insertion to reduce insertion force, then fails to provide flexibility after insertion is complete, allowing the clamping legs to spread radially outward for high clamping effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between foot sections is divided into two functional zones: a predetermined breaking point section with reduced strength that acts as a hinge during insertion, and the foot sections themselves that provide clamping force. This segmentation allows different mechanical properties in different regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If the clamping legs are rigid, then they provide strong clamping force, but they spread when inserted at an angle making the rivet unusable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclamping forceVSAvoidreliability of insertion
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping legs transition from a constrained state during insertion to an expanded state during clamping. The predetermined breaking point section enables this transition by allowing hinge-like movement during insertion, then failing to constrain the legs after insertion is complete, allowing full radial expansion for reliable clamping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The predetermined breaking point section is designed with reduced strength beforehand to cushion the insertion process. This weakened section absorbs the stress of angled insertion through hinge-like deformation, preventing the entire rivet structure from failing and ensuring reliable insertion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the connection between foot sections is strong, then the structure is stable, but the insertion process becomes difficult and requires excessive force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidease of insertion
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connection structure is segmented into a predetermined breaking point section with reduced strength and the foot sections with full strength. This segmentation allows the breaking point section to facilitate easy insertion through hinge-like movement, while the foot sections maintain structural stability for reliable clamping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the connection have different mechanical properties. The predetermined breaking point section has locally reduced strength to enable easy insertion, while the foot sections maintain full strength for structural stability and clamping force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 design enables reliable and easy insertion with minimal force, ensuring a high clamping effect and preventing the rivet from becoming unusable due to angled insertion, while maximizing the radial expansion of clamping legs.

Implementation Method 1

the foot sections (8) of the clamping legs (4, 5) are connected to one another via a predetermined breaking point section (9) which is weakened in terms of its strength compared to the foot sections (8) and acts as a hinge when the expanding rivet is inserted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHinge mechanism: Hinge

Implementation Method 2

When transferring the insert body from the pre-assembly position to the final assembly position, however, the predetermined breaking point section is destroyed with a relatively small amount of force, so that the clamping legs are released for a very wide expansion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadial deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP2252803B1Expanding rivet
Publication Date: 2012.09.19 A RAYMOND & CO SCS
  • EP2252803B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2252803B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2252803B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an expanding rivet, having an insert body (1) and a push-in pin (15), wherein clamping limbs (4, 5) of the insert body (1) are connected to each other on the base side via a predetermined breaking point section (9). During the transfer of the push-in pin (15) from a pre-assembly position into a final assembly position, the predetermined breaking point section (9) is destroyed. In this manner the clamping limbs (4, 5) may expand relatively wide. It is further possible with a corresponding configuration of the push-in pin (15) to slide the push-in pin (19) through the insert body (1).