Lightweight Metal-Plastic Fixing Device to Reduce Mounting Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional object holder assemblies are heavy due to the casting process used in their manufacture, which affects their usability and installation.
Innovation Solution
A fixing device comprising a metal shell body formed via cutting, bending, and welding of sheet metal, combined with plastic connecting members that reduce weight and facilitate secure attachment to a wall and object holder, utilizing a through groove system with engaging grooves and hooks for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the base seats are formed via a casting process, then the structural strength is improved, but the weight of the object holder increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining metal (for the shell body requiring strength) with plastic materials (for the connecting members where high strength is less critical). This allows weight reduction in non-critical areas while maintaining overall structural integrity, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The object holder is divided into multiple segments: a metal shell body and separate plastic connecting members. This segmentation allows different materials to be used for different functional requirements - metal for structural strength and plastic for weight reduction, thereby resolving the strength-weight contradiction.
2Ease of manufacture
If the base seats are formed via a casting process, then the manufacturing capability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By using composite materials (metal shell body with plastic connecting members), the patent reduces material costs compared to full-casting approaches while maintaining manufacturing capability. The plastic connecting members can be produced more economically than cast metal parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters from uniform metal casting to a combination of metal and plastic materials. This parameter change enables more cost-effective manufacturing while preserving the necessary manufacturing capabilities for producing both metal and plastic components.
Data Source
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AI summary
A fixing device includes a fixing member (90) adapted to be mounted on a wall (8), a hollow shell body (2) made of metal and being formed with a through groove (23), and plastic first and second connecting members (3, 4) . The through groove (23) has a first groove portion (231) extending in a first direction (I), and a second groove portion (232) extending in a second direction (II) that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction (I) . The first connecting member (3) is securely connected to the fixing member (90), and has a linking portion (31) inserted into the first groove portion (231). The second connecting member (4) has a connecting portion (41) inserted into the second groove portion (232) and connected to the linking portion (31), and is adapted for connection with an object holder (91) .