Foldable Spacer Segments for Electrical Boxes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable spacers for electrical wiring installations lack precision in thickness adjustment and are inconvenient due to material resistance and corner features, leading to inconsistent spacing and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A foldable spacer apparatus comprising segments with tapered hinges and snap-together design, allowing precise incremental thickness adjustment without corners, ensuring flush stacking and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional wire-wrapping or washer-shims are used to fill the gap between electrical wall plate mounting arms and electrical box receiving arms, then the gap filling function is achieved, but the installation process becomes inconvenient and unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is divided into multiple foldable sections that can be independently folded and stacked. Each section has a defined thickness and can be folded along hinge lines to create a compact structure that fits into the gap between mounting arms and receiving arms, providing both convenience and stability
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer transitions from a flat unfolded state to a three-dimensional folded structure through dynamic folding action. This allows the spacer to be easily inserted into the gap and then maintains a stable fixed position once folded, combining installation convenience with mounting reliability
2Manufacturing precision
If foldable spacers with rectangular segments are used, then spacing function is provided, but material resistance and corner features cause imprecise thickness and increased production costs
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer segments use curved or rounded edges instead of sharp rectangular corners. This curvature reduces material resistance during folding operations, allows for more precise thickness control when segments are stacked, and simplifies manufacturing by eliminating complex corner features while maintaining structural integrity
Data Source
AI summary
A section of a folding spacer apparatus for ensuring precise spatial increments when stacking segments of the spacer apparatus having at least two identical segments of equal thickness equal to an incremental measurement frequently utilized in the construction industry joined by a thin and pliable length of material enabling the bottom surface of a first segment to be flush with the top surface of a second segment when the segments are stacked. The segments are made without corners. In addition, the segments feature a system whereby the two segments may be snapped to one another when stacked. Specifically, first segment features at least one protrusion extending perpendicularly from its top surface, and the second segment should feature at least one complimentary cavity in its top surface, the dimensions and volume of the cavity being such that the protrusion of the first segment is snugly fit within the cavity.