Fastening Assembly Geometry to Prevent Wrong Locking Washer Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wedge locking washers can be incorrectly mounted by inexperienced users, leading to a loss of the wedge locking effect due to improper alignment of cams, which can result in a loose joint.
Innovation Solution
A fastening assembly design that incorporates a cylindrical section with an engaging section, such as a flat surface or bevel face, to prevent incorrect mounting of locking washers by creating a gap when the washer is positioned wrongly, ensuring correct alignment and preventing the washer from being tightened in the wrong direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If locking washers are made separable for ease of assembly, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates because users can mount them incorrectly
Solution Approach 1:
The locking washer is designed with asymmetric features: a first end with cams and a second end with teeth, where the cams and teeth are positioned at different locations relative to the washer center. This asymmetry ensures that the washer can only be mounted in the correct orientation on the fastening element, preventing incorrect assembly while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening element is pre-configured with a flanged section that has a specific geometry (cylindrical section with engaging section) that guides the locking washer into the correct position during assembly. The engaging section's shape preliminarily determines the correct orientation before the washer is fully seated, ensuring reliable mounting.
2Reliability
If locking washers are glued together to prevent wrong configuration, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to assembly complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The locking washer design uses asymmetric cam and tooth positioning to inherently prevent wrong configuration through geometry alone, eliminating the need for glue or other complex assembly restrictions. The asymmetric features naturally guide correct assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the restriction mechanism from chemical bonding (glue) and replaces it with geometric constraints built into the washer and fastening element design. This removes the complexity of glued assemblies while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the washer design allows free positioning, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful factors increase due to potential incorrect mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric arrangement of cams and teeth on the locking washer, combined with the corresponding asymmetric engaging section on the fastening element, allows free positioning during approach while automatically preventing incorrect mounting through geometric incompatibility. The wrong orientation simply cannot be seated properly.
Solution Approach 2:
The design converts the potential harm of free positioning (incorrect mounting) into a benefit by using the same freedom of movement to allow easy approach and alignment, while the geometric constraints only activate to prevent wrong configuration once the components are being seated.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 3a~4
AI summary
Fastening element (1, 1'), comprising a head section (6) engageable by a tool, preferably being a hexagonal head, the fastening element (1, 1') being provided with a first end (7), the fastening element (1, 1') being provided with a second end (8), the first end (7) being provided with a protruding cylindrically shaped section (3) having a smaller diameter than the head section (6) and a flanged section (4) having an outer diameter that is larger than the cylindrically shaped section (3) and wherein the flanged section (4) have a diameter that is equal or larger than the diameter of the head section (6), the flanged section (4) having a surface (5) facing the first end (7) and circumferential to the central axis of the fastening element, wherein the fastening element (1, 1'), on the cylindrically shaped section (3), comprises an engaging section (2), wherein at least a first portion (2a) of the engaging section (2) comprises a diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrically shaped section (3), wherein the diameter of the engaging section (2) being substantially smaller than the outer diameter of the flanged section (4), the first portion (2a) of the engaging section (2) being positioned at a distance (9) from the surface (5) of the flanged section (4) facing the first end (7), such that a locking washer, provided with a first central inner diameter that is smaller at one axial end of the locking washer compared to the second inner diameter at the other axial end of the locking washer, will be stopped from reaching the surface (5) of the flanged section (4), if introduced on the cylindrically shaped section (3) with its smaller central diameter in the direction of the engaging section (2). The invention also relates to a fastening assembly.