Building Fixture Contact Fitting Layout Freedom

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fixtures for building structures have limited layout freedom and construction complexity, leading to reduced strength and durability due to restricted placement of contact fittings and potential damage to waterproof sheets and columns during installation.

Innovation Solution

A fixture design with a substrate portion, side wall portions, support portions, locking portions, and a fixing plate portion that allows flexible placement of contact fittings without restricting the substrate, ensuring the fastening member does not damage adjacent components, thereby enhancing layout freedom and simplifying construction while maintaining structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the joint filler is disposed at a location that overlaps the vertical support bodies, then transverse displacement of exterior wall plates is prevented, but the degree of layout freedom of the joint filler is low and construction freedom is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransverse displacement preventionVSAvoiddegree of layout freedom

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The contact fitting is divided into a fixing plate portion (for attachment to fixture) and an erect piece (for contact with exterior wall plate). This segmentation allows the fixing plate to be positioned freely on the fixture while the erect piece performs the displacement prevention function, resolving the contradiction between layout freedom and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The contact fitting extends in the vertical direction (up-down direction) rather than being restricted to horizontal placement. The erect piece protrudes upward to contact the exterior wall plate, allowing the contact fitting to be positioned at various horizontal locations on the fixture while maintaining its displacement prevention function through vertical extension.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the joint filler is fixed to vertical support materials with a fastener, then transverse displacement is prevented, but the strength and durability of the vertical support materials may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransverse displacement preventionVSAvoidstrength and durability of vertical support materials

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The contact fitting is extracted from direct attachment to the vertical support materials (column members). Instead, it is fixed to the fixture which is already attached to the column members. This indirect attachment method prevents the fastener from directly penetrating and damaging the column members, while still achieving transverse displacement prevention through the erect piece contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the contact fitting is fixed to the metal backing member or fixture, then layout freedom is improved, but construction work becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegree of layout freedomVSAvoidconstruction work complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The contact fitting combines the fixing function (fixing plate portion attached to fixture) and the displacement prevention function (erect piece contacting exterior wall plate) into a single integrated component. This merging eliminates the need for separate contact fittings and simplifies construction, while the fixing plate allows flexible positioning on the fixture for layout freedom.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of manufacture

If the fixing plate portion is formed on the side of the backing member to form a step, then contact fitting can be fixed, but the distal end of the tapping screw may damage the waterproof sheet or column

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact fitting fixationVSAvoiddamage to waterproof sheet and column

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fixture serves as an intermediary between the column members and the contact fitting. The fixing plate portion is formed on the fixture (not directly on the column members), and the fastener attaches the contact fitting to the fixture. This intermediary structure prevents the fastener from directly penetrating the column members and damaging the waterproof sheet, while still enabling secure fixation of the contact fitting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3578732B1Fixture and wall structure for buildings

Publication Date: 2023.09.13 NICHIHA CORP

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AI summary

[Object] To provide a fixture that can increase the degree of layout freedom of a contact fitting and facilitate construction and that can suppress a reduction in the strength and the durability of a building structure; and a wall structure for buildings. [Solution] A fixture 10 can be provided with a contact fitting 30. The fixture 10 includes a substrate portion 11, a first side wall portion 12, a second side wall portion 13, a support portion 14, a first locking portion 15, a second locking portion 16, and a fixing plate portion 17. The fixing plate portion 17 extends from a distal edge 13A of the second side wall portion 13 so as to face the substrate portion 11, and is disposed at a location closer than the support portion 14 to the substrate portion 11. The contact fitting 30 includes a mounting portion 31 that is fixable to the fixing plate portion 17, and an erect piece 32 that is erect in a direction that intersects the mounting portion 31.