Fastening element with a non-permeable adhesive ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening elements attached to surfaces using moisture-curing adhesives face challenges in achieving full load capacity within a standard working day, as air can enter the adhesive, forming bubbles and reducing holding force, especially when loaded before the adhesive has fully cured.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an adhesive ring and base body that forms an airtight space with the surface, where the adhesive is heated to create an insulating layer before curing, preventing air from entering the uncured adhesive and enhancing adhesion by adapting to surface unevenness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesive is applied to attach the base body to the surface, then the fastening element can be connected to the surface, but air can enter the uncured adhesive forming bubbles that reduce holding force
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive ring is positioned on the surface before the adhesive is applied, creating a pre-assembled structure that defines a closed space. This preliminary arrangement prevents air from entering during the adhesive curing process, eliminating bubble formation while maintaining reliable holding force.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive ring acts as an intermediary element between the base body and the surface. It creates a sealed boundary that prevents air from reaching the uncured adhesive, while still allowing the adhesive to cure and bond the base body to the surface effectively.
2Reliability
If the adhesive is allowed to cure fully before loading, then holding force is maximized, but the waiting time extends up to 12 hours which is unacceptable in commercial applications
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive ring is pre-positioned on the surface before adhesive application, creating a sealed environment that allows accelerated curing. This preliminary arrangement enables the adhesive to reach full strength much faster (within 8 hours or less) by preventing air interference during the critical early curing stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the curing environment parameters by creating a closed, air-free space defined by the adhesive ring. This modification of the curing conditions allows the adhesive to achieve full holding force in significantly reduced time compared to conventional open-air curing methods.
3Reliability
If the adhesive ring is made air-permeable to allow air escape, then air bubbles can escape, but air can still be drawn into the uncured adhesive when the base body is loaded
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive ring is positioned beforehand to create a closed space, and the adhesive is applied within this sealed environment. This preliminary sealing action prevents air from being drawn into the uncured adhesive during subsequent loading operations, maintaining holding force without requiring air-permeable features.
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 method allows for early achievement of full load capacity by ensuring the adhesive cures without air interference, maintaining holding force and adapting to surface irregularities, thus facilitating faster and reliable attachment of objects.
Implementation Method 1
the surface, the ring of adhesive and a gap between them form airtight barriers of a space arranged between them and the base
Implementation Method 2
the adhesive ring and the amount of adhesive are heated in such a way that a section of the amount of adhesive in the area of the contact surface that faces the base body forms an insulating layer that is homogeneously cured over the contact surface
Implementation Method 3
forms a further airtight barrier for the remaining portion of the amount of adhesive facing away from the base body and not yet hardened
Implementation Method 4
starting a curing process of the amount of adhesive by providing moisture for the amount of adhesive in the space
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A method for attaching a basic body (12) of a fastening element (10) to a surface (18), said basic body being designed to connect objects to the surface (18), wherein the method comprises the following steps: arranging the basic body (12) in contact with the surface (18), wherein the basic body (12) is connected to the surface (18) using an adhesive ring (20), and therefore the surface (18), the adhesive ring (20) and a gap present therebetween form airtight barriers of a space (16) arranged between said surface, adhesive ring and gap and the basic body (12), wherein the basic body (12) has at least one air- and/or water-permeable connection between the space (16) and an outer side of the basic body (12), which outer side is separated from the space (16) by the basic body (12), or the basic body (12) already contains moisture when said basic body (12) is arranged on the surface (18), the moisture being able to be provided for the quantity of adhesive (22); introducing an adhesive into the space (16) such that the latter is filled with a quantity of adhesive (22) which has a contact surface with the basic body (12); starting a curing process of the quantity of adhesive (22) by providing moisture for the quantity of adhesive (22) located in the space (16), wherein, prior to the starting of the curing process or/and during the curing process, the adhesive ring (20) and the quantity of adhesive (22) are heated in such a manner that some of the quantity of adhesive (22) located in the region of the contact surface forms an insulating layer (22a) which is cured homogeneously extensively over and beyond the contact surface and constitutes a further airtight barrier for the remaining part of the quantity of adhesive (22b) which has not yet cured. The invention furthermore comprises a fastening element (10) suitable for this purpose.