Insulating Spacer for Electrical Safety in Wall-Mounted Facade Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In residential electrical installations, screws used to fix facades to cabinets can inadvertently become electrical conductors, posing a risk of accidental contact with electric potentials due to variations in coating thickness, which may expose the threaded rods to hazardous electrical contact.
Innovation Solution
A spacer made of electrically insulating material, preferably polypropylene, is placed between the facade and the box to protect the screw from electrical contact, adapting to varying coating thicknesses and ensuring complete insulation and secure fixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If screws are used to fix the facade directly to the box, then the fixing is simple and direct, but the threaded rod becomes exposed and subject to accidental contact with electric potential due to coating thickness variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spacer as an intermediary element between the facade and the box. This spacer contains a cavity that receives the threaded rod of the screw, thereby isolating it from external contact. The spacer acts as a mediator that maintains the electrical insulation provided by the coating while accommodating the mechanical fixing function, thus resolving the contradiction between simple fixing and electrical safety.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coating thickness varies, then the finished face position varies, but the threaded rod remains exposed creating electrical hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is designed with dynamic adaptability to accommodate variations in coating thickness. The cavity within the spacer can adjust its effective depth to match different coating thicknesses, ensuring that the threaded rod remains fully enclosed regardless of the finished face position. This dynamic adaptation eliminates the electrical hazard while maintaining compatibility with varying coating conditions.
3Reliability
If the spacer cavity depth adapts to coating thickness, then insulation is maintained, but the spacer structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer employs local quality by concentrating the adaptive feature specifically in the cavity region that contacts the threaded rod, while the rest of the spacer structure remains simple and uniform. The cavity's depth adaptation is localized to where it is most needed for insulation reliability, without unnecessarily complicating the overall spacer design. This approach maintains reliability while minimizing added complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system (1) for fixing a facade (3) comprising a plurality of holes (31), on a box (2) embedded in a wall (6) so as to be substantially flush with a rough face (61) of the wall (6) and comprising the same plurality of housings (21) opposite the holes (31), by means of the same plurality of screws (5), each screw (5) comprising a head (51) and a threaded shank (52), each hole (31) being through and adapted to allow the passage of a threaded shank (52) and to stop a head (51), each housing (21) being adapted to receive a threaded shank (52), wherein the system (1) further comprises the same plurality of spacers (4), each spacer (4) being adapted to be disposed between the facade (3) and the box (2), principally extended along an axis (41) and comprising a sleeve (42) along the axis (41),a bore (43) along the axis (41) suitable for receiving a threaded rod (52) and a first axial stop (46) extending radially relative to the axis (41) and shaped so as to be able to bear against a finished face (62) of the wall (6), distant from the rough face (61).