Fixture Mounting Bracket Assembly With Multi-Point Fastener Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mounting hardware kits with set screws lack effective mechanisms to securely attach fixtures to surfaces, as they rely on a single point of contact, which can lead to instability and movement of the attached objects.
Innovation Solution
A kit comprising a first and second bracket with a fastener aperture and passageway system, where the fastener engages multiple locations on the second bracket, including a stop surface and a conical tip receptacle, to resist movement and rotation, ensuring a fixed relation between the brackets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single aperture and passageway interface is used to connect brackets, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stability and reliability of the mounting position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is segmented into multiple engagement points: a first aperture in the outer bracket, a first passageway in the inner bracket, a second aperture in the outer bracket, and a second passageway in the inner bracket. This segmentation allows the fastener to engage at multiple discrete locations, improving stability without significantly increasing overall structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system transitions from a single-point interface to a multi-point interface distributed across different spatial dimensions. The apertures and passageways are positioned at different locations and orientations, creating a three-dimensional engagement pattern that enhances mounting reliability
2Ease of manufacture
If a single point of contact is used for fastening, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the resistance to movement and rotation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening mechanism is divided into multiple contact points along the fastener's path. The fastener engages with the outer bracket at the first aperture and with the inner bracket at the first passageway, creating multiple resistance points against movement and rotation while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The apertures and passageways are pre-positioned and pre-aligned in the brackets during manufacturing. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the fastener is inserted, it automatically engages at the correct locations to provide optimal resistance against movement and rotation
Data Source
AI summary
A kit for mounting a fixture at a surface comprises first and second brackets for attaching to the fixture and for fixedly locating at the surface. The second bracket defines a cavity for receiving the first bracket in a mounting position of the kit, and the two brackets are connectable by a fastener passed through the pair of brackets arranged in the mounting position. The first bracket features a passageway opening at opposite sides of the bracket, and the second bracket features a fastener aperture and opposite thereto a tip receptacle for receiving a leading tip of the fastener, such that the second bracket is engaged by the fastener at more than one location to maintain the kit in the mounting position. The first and second brackets also feature a cooperating groove and ridge in the interior of the cavity, which are mated in the mounting position.