Snap-Together Faucet Lock Nut for Fast Under-Counter Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing faucet installation methods require significant time and effort due to the length of pipes and challenging installation conditions, especially in poorly lit or confined spaces, making it difficult to start and thread nuts correctly onto pipes.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece snap-together lock nut assembly with an upper main body and lower main body, featuring downward extending lugs and arcuate ramps, allows for easy hand tightening and compression against pipe threads, facilitating quick and secure faucet fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional nuts are used on lengthy pipes, then the faucet can be fixed rigidly in place, but the installation requires significant time and effort due to the length of pipes and challenging installation conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The nut is divided into two separate pieces: an upper piece with threaded interior surface and a lower piece with exterior threads. These two pieces can be assembled separately onto the pipe sections, allowing installation to proceed from both ends simultaneously or independently, significantly reducing installation time and effort compared to threading a single nut onto a lengthy pipe from one end.
2Reliability
If pipes are positioned under the counter top behind the sink, then the faucet structure is complete, but starting the nut correctly on the pipe and threading it on is difficult and time consuming due to uncomfortable distance and poor lighting
Solution Approach 1:
The lower piece of the nut is pre-assembled onto one end of the pipe, and the upper piece is pre-assembled onto the other end. This preliminary action eliminates the difficulty of threading a nut onto a lengthy pipe in hard-to-reach locations, as both pieces can be installed independently from accessible areas, ensuring reliable fixation without the operational challenges of working in confined spaces.
3Strength
If a single nut is threaded onto a lengthy pipe, then the faucet is secured, but the installation process becomes more time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is segmented into two separate nut pieces that engage with the pipe from opposite ends. This segmentation allows both pieces to be installed simultaneously or in parallel, effectively doubling the installation speed while maintaining or even enhancing the overall fastening strength through distributed clamping force across the pipe length.
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
Enables quick and secure attachment of faucets to countertops by minimizing spinning and maximizing thread engagement, even in confined or poorly lit spaces, reducing installation time and effort.
Implementation Method 1
The canted arcuate wedge shaped side wall ramps biases the threaded lugs outward decreasing the diameter of the inner bore and pressing against the pipe threads
Implementation Method 2
The canted arcuate wedge shaped side wall ramps biases the threaded lugs outward decreasing the diameter of the inner bore and pressing against the pipe threads as the lower main body is rotated clockwise with respect to the upper main body enabling the lock nut to slide upward
Data Source
AI summary
A faucet mounting structure includes a threaded pipe and a threaded lock nut. The quick tighten and release adjustable lock nut includes a separate upper main body and a lower main which snap fit together. The upper main body includes downward extending lugs with inward facing threads which are urged against the outward facing threads of a faucet pipe to hold the pipe and thus, hold the faucet in a fixed position on a counter top. The downward extending lugs are captured in canted arcuate recesses in the lower main body. The canted arcuate wedge shaped side wall ramps biases the threaded lugs outward decreasing the diameter of the inner bore and pressing against the pipe threads as the lower main body is rotated clockwise with respect to the upper main body enabling the lock nut to slide upward over the threaded shank of the faucet until abutting the top portion of the threaded faucet pipe whereby rotating the lock nut causes cooperative engagement between the threaded lugs of the lock nut and the threaded faucet pipe tightening the lock nut threads around the threaded pipe.