Hidden Fastener Unit with Compressible Resilient Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastener systems for securing grooved boards to underlying support structures are inadequate as they fail to forcibly engage the grooves, leading to movement of boards during temperature changes, require manual alignment, and are not suitable for double or triple joist configurations, resulting in aesthetic and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A fastener unit with a spacer block, a grip element, and vertically compressible resilient compression elements that fit within the groove, expanding to forcibly engage and secure the board, allowing self-supported installation and concealment between boards, while accommodating various joist configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional hidden fasteners are used with fixed thickness flanges, then the fastener structure is simple, but the flanges cannot adapt to different groove thicknesses or align properly with grooves
Solution Approach 1:
The flanges are designed with resilient material that allows them to flex and adapt to different groove thicknesses. The dynamic property enables the fixed-structure fastener to accommodate variable groove dimensions through elastic deformation, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness of the flanges is designed to be variable through the use of resilient material properties. By changing the physical state (elastic deformation) of the flange material, the fastener can adapt to different groove thicknesses without requiring multiple fixed-thickness components, thus maintaining structural simplicity while achieving versatility.
2Manufacturing precision
If hidden fasteners require manual alignment with grooves during installation, then installation precision can be achieved, but the installation process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient flanges are designed to self-align with the grooves through elastic deformation during insertion. The material's inherent flexibility allows the flanges to automatically conform to the groove position and orientation without requiring manual alignment by the installer, thus achieving both precision and ease of installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic elastic properties of the resilient flange material enable automatic adjustment and alignment during the installation process. As the fastener is inserted, the flanges flex to match the groove geometry, providing self-alignment that eliminates the need for manual positioning while ensuring precise fit.
3Reliability
If traditional fasteners are used to secure boards, then the boards can be fastened to support structures, but the fasteners become visible and may project upward creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener design incorporates horizontal flanges that nest within the grooves of adjacent boards, with the resilient elements bridging the gap between boards. This nested configuration allows the fastening mechanism to be concealed within the groove structure, securing the boards reliably while preventing the fastener from projecting upward and creating safety hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient compression elements serve as intermediaries between the fastener body and the board grooves. These elements transmit the securing force while remaining concealed within the groove structure, providing reliable board attachment without exposing protruding fastener components that would create safety hazards.
4Ease of manufacture
If resilient compression elements are made vertically compressible to fit within grooves, then the fastener can be concealed between boards, but the elements require deformation during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient compression elements are designed with vertical compressibility, allowing them to deform during installation to fit within the groove space. This dynamic property enables the elements to be compressed vertically during installation, then expand to provide securing force, achieving concealed fastening while managing the deformation requirement through material selection and structural design.
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 fastener unit securely holds boards in place during expansion and contraction, allows for easy installation without manual alignment, and conceals the fastener heads, addressing aesthetic and safety concerns by providing a stable and hidden fastening solution.
Implementation Method 1
a first and a second resilient compression element vertically compressible from an open mode to a compressed mode
Implementation Method 2
the portions can expand within the groove to forcibly engage the groove, thereby securing the resilient compression element and the joined spacer block adjacent the groove and a side surface of the board
Data Source
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AI summary
A fastener unit and related method for securing a board to a support is provided. The fastener unit includes a spacer block, a grip element extending from the spacer block and configured to fit in and engage a groove of the board, and one or more resilient compression elements extending from the spacer block. The one or more resilient compression elements can be a joist leg configured to engage a joist, or it can be vertically compressible toward a first plane that is transverse to a vertical axis of the spacer block so that portions of it can compress from an open mode to a compressed mode and fit within, then forcibly expand within the groove, thereby securing the spacer block in a position adjacent the groove to establish a gap between the board and another board. A related method of use also is provided.