Faucet Quick Connector Locking for Faster Undersink Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing faucet fixation systems require cumbersome manual handling and prolonged installation time due to the need to keep the faucet in place while threading a nut onto a fastener, as the nut does not stay secured until fully threaded, making the process labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A faucet fixation system featuring a quick connector with a nut assembly and locking members that can transition between locking and non-locking positions, allowing for easy sliding onto the fastener and subsequent secure locking, enabling quick and secure attachment to a support structure without requiring manual holding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional nut assembly is used to secure a faucet to a support structure, then the faucet can be firmly fixed, but the installation process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming requiring manual holding of the faucet while threading the nut
Solution Approach 1:
The nut assembly is segmented into a stationary nut body and a movable locking member that can independently translate along the fastener. This segmentation allows the locking member to be manually positioned and secured without requiring continuous manual holding of the entire assembly during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking member is designed to be movable relative to the nut body along the longitudinal axis, transitioning between locked and unlocked positions. This dynamic capability enables quick engagement and disengagement of the faucet fixation system, dramatically reducing installation and removal time while maintaining secure fixation when locked.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a traditional nut assembly is used to secure a faucet, then the faucet remains stable, but the installer must continuously hold the faucet in place during the threading process
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is pre-configured with threading engagement capability that allows it to be manually advanced along the fastener and secured in place before final tightening. This preliminary positioning action eliminates the need for continuous manual holding of the faucet during the fixation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable locking member acts as an intermediary between the stationary nut body and the faucet fastener. It transfers and secures the fixation force while allowing independent manipulation, enabling stable fixation without requiring the installer to continuously hold the faucet in position.
3Productivity
If a quick connector with movable locking members is used, then installation time is reduced, but the device complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The movable locking members are integrated within the confines of the nut assembly structure, combining the functions of fixation, locking, and quick-release capabilities into a single compact component rather than requiring separate independent mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking members are nested within the nut body structure, with the movable components contained within the outer housing. This nested arrangement minimizes the overall footprint and component count while providing quick-connect functionality, reducing device complexity compared to external locking mechanisms.
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
Simplifies the installation process by allowing the faucet to be quickly and securely attached to a support structure, reducing the time and effort required for installation while maintaining stability through threaded rotation.
Implementation Method 1
The first locking member includes a threaded portion and an actuating portion provided on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis. The second locking member includes a threaded portion and an actuating portion provided on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis. In a locking position, the threaded portions of the first and second locking members are configured to secure the connector to the fastener
Data Source
AI summary
A faucet fixation system includes a fastener configured to couple to a faucet, and a connector. The connector includes a base and a nut assembly. The base includes a bore. The nut assembly is disposed in the bore around a portion of the fastener, and includes a first locking member, which has a first threaded portion and a first actuating portion, and a second locking member, which has a second threaded portion and a second actuating portion. In a locking position of the connector, the first and second threaded portions engage threads of the fastener to prohibit relative translational movement between the connector and the fastener while allowing the connector to rotate along the threads of the fastener. In a non-locking position of the connector, the first and second threaded portions disengage the threads of the fastener to allow translational movement of the connector relative to the fastener.