Gas Meter Snap-Fit Mounting Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas meter assembly requires a high number of components and processes, increasing the effort needed for assembly due to the use of screws.
Innovation Solution
A component mounting structure for a gas meter that uses a resin member with an elastically deformable hooking claw and a sheet metal member with a hooking target portion, forming a snap-fit portion to mount the resin member to the sheet metal member instead of screwing, reducing the number of screwing positions and assembly effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screwing is used to mount components, then reliable connection is achieved, but the number of components and assembly processes increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the screwing mechanical system with a snap-fit mechanical system. The resin member includes a hooking claw that elastically deforms to hook onto the sheet metal member, eliminating the need for screws and screwing operations while maintaining reliable connection through elastic deformation and geometric interlocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the screw components from the assembly system. By designing the resin member with an integrated hooking claw that directly engages with the sheet metal member, the separate screw fasteners are removed entirely, reducing component count while preserving connection functionality.
2Reliability
If screwing is used to mount components, then secure attachment is achieved, but assembly effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the manual screwing operation with an elastic snap-fit operation. The hooking claw's elastic deformation automatically provides the fastening action when the resin member is pressed against the sheet metal member, eliminating the need for tools and multiple screwing steps while ensuring secure attachment through the elastic engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The hooking claw performs the fastening function automatically through its own elastic deformation. When the resin member is positioned against the sheet metal member, the hooking claw naturally deforms and engages with the target portion, making the attachment process self-executing without requiring external fastening operations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple screwing positions are used, then component stability is improved, but the number of processes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fastening function into multiple hooking claws distributed around the resin member's peripheral edge. Each hooking claw independently engages with the sheet metal member at different positions, providing stable attachment through distributed engagement points while maintaining a single integrated fastening operation rather than multiple sequential screwing processes.
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
The snap-fit mounting method reduces the assembly effort by eliminating the need for multiple screwing positions, allowing for a more efficient and simplified assembly process while ensuring secure component attachment.
Implementation Method 1
a resin member (6) having an elastically deformable hooking claw (6b)
Data Source
AI summary
A shutoff valve adaptor and a measuring unit adaptor are resin members and each of them has an elastically deformable hooking claw. Each of sheet metal members has a hooking target portion. The shutoff valve adaptor is mounted to the sheet metal member by a snap-fit portion comprising the hooking target portion and the hooking claw hooked to the hooking target portion, and the measuring unit adaptor is mounted to the sheet metal member.