Non-Tempered Glass Panel Accessory Mounting Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-tempered glass panels are prone to breakage, specifically due to 'spinning' when accessories are mounted through holes, as existing solutions fail to effectively distribute tightening forces, leading to tensile stresses that cause micro-cracks and fractures along the perimeter of the hole.
Innovation Solution
The accessory is designed with mounting plates that apply compressive forces at a distance from the hole, creating a closed contour contact zone around the hole to isolate it from bending stresses, using a clamping zone that is remote from the hole and dimensioned to match the panel's thickness, thereby preventing tensile forces from causing breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If accessories are mounted through holes in non-tempered glass panels by tightening, then the accessory is securely fixed, but tensile stresses concentrate at the hole edges causing micro-cracks and glass breakage
Solution Approach 1:
A mounting plate is introduced as an intermediary element between the accessory and the glass panel. The mounting plate distributes the tightening forces over a larger area of the glass surface, preventing stress concentration at the hole edges. This mediator transforms the localized point load into a distributed load, thereby securing the accessory while preserving glass integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting plate is pre-positioned with its support surface bearing against the glass panel before the accessory is fully tightened. This preliminary contact establishes a force distribution path that prevents tensile stress concentration at the hole perimeter during the tightening process, eliminating the need for excessive caution during installation.
2Device complexity
If mounting plates are positioned close to the hole to secure the accessory, then the accessory size is minimized, but tensile stresses concentrate at the hole edges causing spinning
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate extends the force distribution in the dimensional space away from the hole, creating a support surface that spans a sufficient distance from the hole perimeter. This dimensional extension allows the accessory to remain compact while the mounting plate's broader geometry distributes forces over a larger glass area, preventing stress concentration and spinning.
3Reliability
If tempered glass is used to resist breaking during accessory mounting, then glass integrity is maintained, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to tempering requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate extracts the stress concentration problem from the glass panel itself, transferring the load-bearing function to the mounting plate structure. This allows the use of simple non-tempered glass while maintaining integrity during accessory installation, as the mounting plate assumes the role of withstanding and distributing the tightening forces.
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
This design allows for secure tightening without excessive precautions, as it generates a compression zone in the glass thickness, significantly reducing the risk of breakage by preventing tensile stresses from reaching the hole, thus enhancing the durability of non-tempered glass panels.
Implementation Method 1
said accessory comprises two mounting plates assembled together with clamping to put under compressive stress an area of said panel surrounding the hole
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The panel has an accessory including two mounting plates (35) that are assembled together with a fitting to set an annular zone of the panel under compression constraints, where the panel is monolithic. The mounting plates are conformed to define a contact zone (51), with a circular closed contour (46), around a hole (26). Interior edge of the contact zone is located at a point at distance that is equal to predetermined minimum value of an edge of the hole to define a tightening zone (48) that is away from the hole.