Foldable Latching Fastener Holder with Segmented Starburst Holes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage methods for fasteners, such as bolts and screws, in aircraft and automobile maintenance are inefficient as they are stored loosely without separation, making it difficult to identify and secure the correct fastener for reassembly, and are prone to becoming loose and causing Foreign Object Debris (FOD) issues.
Innovation Solution
A latching holder with a flexible support member featuring starburst-shaped holes and a foldable design with integral latches that securely retain fasteners, allowing for easy identification and secure storage by folding panels together to clamp the fasteners in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If fasteners are stored in a loose, bulk fashion in a container, then storage capacity is maximized, but fasteners cannot be easily identified and secured
Solution Approach 1:
The holder divides the storage space into multiple compartments using partition walls, with each compartment containing holes of specific sizes for different fastener types. This segmentation allows organized storage while maintaining high capacity, and enables easy identification of fasteners by their designated locations in specific compartments.
2Device complexity
If fasteners are stored without separation in bulk, then storage simplicity is maintained, but fasteners become loose and insecure
Solution Approach 1:
Partition walls create separate compartments that physically constrain fasteners, preventing them from becoming loose. The segmented structure maintains relative simplicity while providing secure retention through organized placement in designated holes within each compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder design allows fasteners to be naturally retained in specific holes through their own dimensions and shapes, without requiring additional locking mechanisms. The structured compartments and sized holes work together to automatically secure fasteners in place.
3Loss of time
If fasteners are stored without labeling or organization, then storage time is reduced, but reassembly efficiency decreases due to difficulty in finding correct fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting storage into compartments with holes of different sizes, the holder automatically organizes fasteners by type and dimension. This segmentation enables quick visual identification and retrieval during reassembly, improving productivity without adding time to the storage operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different compartments have different hole size configurations tailored to specific fastener types. This local quality variation allows fasteners to be instantly identified by their designated compartment, enabling rapid retrieval and improving reassembly efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A latching holder for storing a plurality of fasteners includes a support member having a first panel, a second panel, a longitudinal slit and a longitudinal portion therebetween for enabling the first and second panels to fold toward one another. One of the first and second panels of the support member has a plurality of holes having a central aperture and wavy slots extending radially outwardly therefrom. The other of the first and second panels contacts the fasteners in a folded position for retaining the fasteners within the latching holder. Each of the first and second panels has an integrally formed latch for securing the first and second panels together to provide additional retainment of the plurality of fasteners within the latching holder. The integration of the latches and the panels with the holder provides a one piece holder without adding additional components for securely storing the plurality of fasteners.