Thermal Insulating Screw Assembly With Retained Washer Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional self-drilling tapping screws lack a secure mounting mechanism for the annular washer, leading to detachment issues and fail to provide thermal insulation, allowing hot or cold air to enter buildings.
Innovation Solution
A thermal insulating screw assembly featuring a screw with a thermal insulating portion and washer, where the washer is positioned by projections on the screw's head, preventing detachment and providing a thermal barrier to block heat conduction and convection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional self-drilling tapping screw assembly with an annular washer is used, then the screw can be driven through the workpiece, but the annular washer is not secured to the enlarged head and is easily detached from the shank
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the washer mounting function directly into the enlarged head structure by providing a recess that receives the washer and engages it with the screw shank. This integration eliminates the need for separate mounting mechanisms while ensuring the washer remains securely attached during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess in the enlarged head acts as an intermediary structure that mediates between the washer and the screw shank. It provides a dedicated space for the washer to be positioned and secured, preventing detachment while maintaining the simplicity of the overall assembly.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional screw without thermal insulation is used, then the screw structure remains simple, but hot or cold air easily enters the house through the screw assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining thermally insulating materials with the metal screw components. The insulating material is integrated into the enlarged head structure, creating a composite assembly that provides thermal insulation while maintaining the mechanical functionality of the screw.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal insulation is applied locally at the enlarged head where it contacts the workpiece and framing members. This localized insulation approach addresses the thermal bridging issue at the critical interface without requiring the entire screw to be insulating, thus minimizing added complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the annular washer is not secured to the enlarged head, then the screw assembly is simpler to manufacture, but the user has to manually mount the washer on the shank causing inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The washer is pre-positioned within the recess of the enlarged head during manufacturing, so that it is already secured to the screw before delivery to the user. This preliminary action eliminates the need for manual washer installation by the user while the integration is handled during automated manufacturing 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 assembly securely mounts the washer and effectively prevents the entry of hot or cold air by providing a thermal insulating effect, enhancing user convenience and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The thermal insulating portion and the thermal insulating washer provide a thermal insulating effect to break or block the heat conduction or convection
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal insulating screw assembly includes a thermal insulating screw and a thermal insulating washer. The thermal insulating screw has a rotation head, a shank, and an external thread. A thermal insulating portion coats the rotation head and has a plurality of projections each of which is provided with a horizontal face, a vertical face, and an inclined face. The horizontal face is located at a top of each of the projections. The vertical face extends downward from the horizontal face. The inclined face extends inward and downward from the vertical face. The thermal insulating washer is positioned by the projections and has an axial hole which passes through the inclined face and the vertical face to the horizontal face, and is positioned on the horizontal face of each of the projections.