Drainage Gutter Cover Fastening Bolt Recess
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drainage channel designs face complexity in attaching and maintaining the channel cover, making frequent maintenance, such as cleaning, cumbersome and prone to vandalism.
Innovation Solution
The drainage channel features vertically projecting fastening bolts with a screw bolt section and recess, combined with a spring-elastic securing element that engages as a quick-release fastener, allowing for secure and easy attachment and detachment of the channel cover, preventing protrusion and damage, and providing protection against theft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bolt and nut fastening system is used to secure the channel cover, then the connection is strong and reliable, but the maintenance and removal operations become cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is segmented into two distinct mechanisms: a screw bolt section for reliable attachment and a recess with locking element for quick release. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specialized function - the bolt provides structural reliability while the recess-locking element system enables rapid maintenance operations without requiring tool removal of the entire fastening system.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system transitions from a static, permanent-looking bolt-nut connection to a dynamic system where the locking element can be easily engaged and disengaged. The recess allows the locking element to move between locked and unlocked positions, enabling the cover to transition between securely fastened and quickly removable states, thus improving maintenance ease while maintaining connection reliability when locked.
2Ease of operation
If a quick-release fastening mechanism is used for the channel cover, then maintenance operations become easy and rapid, but the connection strength and anti-vandalism protection may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges two fastening mechanisms into a single integrated system: the screw bolt section provides strong, reliable attachment similar to traditional systems, while the recess with locking element adds quick-release capability. When the locking element is engaged in the recess, both mechanisms work together to provide strong connection reliability comparable to bolt-nut systems, while maintaining the advantage of rapid release by simply disengaging the locking element.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system serves multiple functions through its dual-mechanism design: it provides both permanent secure fastening (when locking element is engaged) and quick release capability (when locking element is disengaged). This multi-functionality allows the same system to satisfy both security/anti-vandalism requirements and ease of maintenance requirements, depending on the operational state of the locking element.
3Ease of operation
If the locking element protrudes above the gutter cover surface, then the locking engagement is more accessible, but it obstructs and damages traffic passing over the gutter
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is nested within a recess in the gutter cover surface, similar to how a doll is placed inside another doll. The recess provides a cavity that accommodates the locking element, allowing it to be engaged and manipulated for locking access while remaining below the outer surface of the gutter cover. This nesting arrangement ensures the locking function is accessible while preventing the locking element from protruding to obstruct or damage traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the locking element from a protruding position (above the surface) to a recessed position (below the surface) by utilizing the vertical dimension. The recess creates a subsurface cavity where the locking element can reside, allowing horizontal accessibility for locking operations while eliminating vertical protrusion that would interfere with traffic flow and cause damage.
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 enables quick and secure attachment of the channel cover, stabilizes its position, facilitates easy maintenance, and protects against vandalism, allowing for rapid installation and exchange of covers as needed, particularly in contaminated areas.
Implementation Method 1
the locking element is designed as a spring or spring-elastic element, the fastening of the gutter cover according to the invention can act as a quick-release fastener
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a drainage channel (10) with a U-shaped channel body (12), characterized in that it has an upwardly open inlet area (14) between its vertical legs (20, 22), wherein at the free end of each leg a frame (24, 26) is formed for receiving a channel cover (16), which frame carries vertically upwardly projecting fastening bolts (30) which cooperate with complementary fastening elements on the channel cover to hold the channel cover on the channel body, which fastening bolts (30) have a screw bolt section (34) and at least a recess (38), and which complementary fastening elements (40, 46) comprise a locking element (40) which engages with at least one locking part (42) in the recess (38) of the fastening bolt (30).The connection of the gutter cover (16) to the gutter body (12) can therefore optionally be made either as a pure snap connection (38, 40) or as a combined snap and screw connection (34, 38, 40, 46).