Low-Profile Rivet Fastener With Deformable Body For Secure Wall Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rivet-like fasteners lack an effective mechanism for secure engagement with walls, particularly in low-profile configurations, leading to potential separation and instability.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a selectively deformable body with a radially enlarged head and a nut with an outwardly-facing polygonal surface to prevent rotation, along with a washer for added stability, allowing for secure engagement with the wall and preventing unintentional separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a low-profile rivet-like fastener is used, then the fastener has a compact size suitable for thin walls, but the engagement strength and stability with the wall is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener body is divided into distinct functional segments: a head portion for loading, an intermediate portion for wall engagement, and a tail portion for deformation. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently - the intermediate portion can be designed with increased surface area or deformation features to enhance engagement strength while maintaining the overall low-profile configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a simple cylindrical form to a more complex geometry where the intermediate portion extends radially outward to engage the wall. This dimensional change from a compact cylinder to a radially-enlarged engagement portion increases the contact area and mechanical interlocking capability without significantly increasing the overall profile height of the fastener.
2Strength
If the body is deformed plastically to engage the wall, then the holding power is improved, but the fastener structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener is pre-configured with an intermediate portion that is designed to deform plastically under controlled loading. This preliminary design of the deformation zone allows the fastener to automatically engage the wall through simple axial loading without requiring complex deformation mechanisms or additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener utilizes its own body structure to create the engagement mechanism. The intermediate portion of the body itself deforms to create the anchoring effect, eliminating the need for separate engagement components or complex deformation mechanisms. The fastener serves its own function of creating the mechanical interlock through controlled plastic deformation of its own material.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the nut is prevented from rotating relative to the body, then the fastener stability is improved, but the fastener design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener incorporates asymmetric features such as a polygonal interface between the nut and body, or a keyway mechanism, that prevent relative rotation. This asymmetric geometry creates mechanical interlocking that stabilizes the fastener components relative to each other without requiring additional locking components or complex assembly procedures.
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 solution provides enhanced stability and secure mounting of the fastener by allowing the body to deform plastically and engage the wall, ensuring the nut and ring remain securely attached, thereby preventing unintentional separation and improving the overall holding power.
Implementation Method 1
an intermediate portion adapted to be selectively deformed plastically outwardly to engage a marginal portion of the rearwardly-facing wall surface about the hole to hold the fastener to the wall
Data Source
Figure 1~1G
Figure 2~2G
Figure 3~3G
AI summary
A low-profile rivet-like fastener (10) is adapted to be mounted in a hole (19) provided through a wall (15). The wall has a forwardly-facing surface (16) and an opposite rearwardly-facing surface (18). The improved fastener broadly includes: an elongated tubular body (11), a nut (12), a ring (13), and a retainer (14). The body has a front end and a rear end. A flange (22) extends outwardly from the body adjacent the front end. This flange has a rearwardly-facing surface (23) adapted to abut a marginal portion of the wall forwardly-facing surface (16) about the hole. The body rear end having a rearwardly-facing surface (24). The body also has an inwardly-extending lug (27) adjacent the body rear end. The axial extent of the lug being defined between the body rearwardly-facing surface (24) and a forwardly-facing annular surface (29) on the body. The nut (12) has a head portion (30) and a collar portion (31 ) extending forwardly from the head portion. The head portion has a forwardly-facing abutment surface (32) adapted to face toward the body rearwardly- facing surface (24). The collar portion (31) has an intermediate portion passing through the lug and terminating in an end. The ring (13) surrounds the collar intermediate portion. The retainer (14) is associated with the collar intermediate portion for preventing the ring from separating from the collar intermediate portion.