Faucet Mounting Mechanism with Expandable Nut for Quick Installation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing faucet mounting mechanisms are cumbersome and time-consuming due to the limited space under stainless steel sinks and basins, requiring significant effort to lock or unlock the nut on the bolt, making installation and disassembly difficult.
Innovation Solution
A faucet mounting mechanism comprising a faucet body, a pipe joint with an outer thread, a nut with an inner ring and fastening seat, where the fastening buckles on the seat engage with the nut to facilitate quick assembly and disassembly by adjusting the inner diameter through inclined surfaces and openings, allowing for easy tightening and loosening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the nut is rotated from the lower end of the bolt to lock it, then the faucet can be securely mounted, but the operation takes time and energy due to limited space under the countertop
Solution Approach 1:
The nut incorporates an expandable inner ring with openings that allow dynamic change in inner diameter. When the fastening seat is pushed upward, the inner ring expands to engage the bolt threads; when released, it contracts for easy removal. This dynamic structure enables secure mounting while simplifying operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The nut is divided into functional segments: an inner ring with openings for expansion/contraction, an outer ring for structural support, and a connecting plate. The fastening seat is separated into a pressing portion and a fastening portion with buckles. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing operational effort.
2Productivity
If the inner ring has openings to reduce inner diameter for engagement, then the nut can be quickly assembled, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inner ring is nested within the outer ring of the nut, with the connecting plate linking them. The openings in the inner ring allow it to expand and contract while maintaining structural integrity through the nested configuration. This nesting approach achieves quick assembly without excessive structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening seat acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user's manual force and the nut's inner ring. By pushing the fastening seat upward, the force is transmitted through the buckles to expand the inner ring for engagement. This intermediary simplifies the user's interaction while achieving the complex expansion function.
3Reliability
If the fastening buckles are tightly mated with the inner wall of the nut, then the connection is secure, but the disassembly requires significant force
Solution Approach 1:
The inner diameter of the inner ring is changed from a contracted state (for engagement) to an expanded state (for removal). When the fastening seat is pulled downward, the inner ring expands, increasing its inner diameter beyond the bolt's outer diameter, allowing easy removal while maintaining secure connection during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening buckles are designed to be elastic, allowing them to deform slightly during engagement and disengagement. This dynamic property enables the buckles to maintain tight mating for secure connection while allowing sufficient movement for easy removal when the inner ring expands.
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 rapid and effortless mounting and dismounting of faucets by reducing the inner diameter of the nut to engage with the pipe joint's thread for secure tightening and restoring it for easy removal, simplifying the installation process under limited countertop space.
Implementation Method 1
the first inclined surface of the nut is pressed by the second inclined surface of the fastening seat by pushing up the fastening seat. Because the inner ring of the nut has the openings, the openings are compressed to reduce the inner diameter of the inner ring
Implementation Method 2
The fastening seat is provided with at least two elastic engaging buckles. The engaging buckles extend outwardly from an outer wall of the fastening seat to be in the form of a barb. The nut is provided with chutes corresponding to the engaging buckles for the engaging buckles to slide up and down in the corresponding chutes.
Data Source
AI summary
A faucet mounting mechanism includes a faucet body, a pipe joint, a nut, and a fastening seat. A bottom of an inner ring of the nut has a first inclined surface. The fastening seat is mated with the nut. The fastening seat has a second inclined surface. An outer ring of the fastening seat is provided with at least two fastening buckles. The fastening buckles are tightly mated with an inner wall of the nut. Through the cooperation of the nut and the fastening seat, the nut and the pipe joint can be assembled or disassembled quickly.