Modular Clip Connectors for Versatile Plate Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toy construction and robotic building systems lack versatility in using various materials and geometries, limiting design possibilities and adaptability to unique load-bearing demands and component dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A system of modular clips with a base, protrusions, and pairs of fingers that allow for the secure attachment of beams and plates with varying thicknesses and geometries, enabling rapid assembly and disassembly, and accommodating different material thicknesses through a common finger design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fasteners are used for single thickness boards and beams, then assembly is simple, but adaptability to varied dimensions and materials is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The clip design incorporates multiple protrusions and pairs of fingers that can engage with different geometrical features (slots, holes, recesses) across various materials and thicknesses. This universal design allows a single clip type to function with diverse components, eliminating the need for multiple specialized fasteners while maintaining adaptability to varied dimensions and materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip is divided into distinct functional elements: a base for positioning, multiple protrusions for engagement, and pairs of fingers for securing. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function independently, enabling the clip to adapt to different geometrical configurations while keeping the overall design manageable and manufacturable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional systems use single geometrical plane connections, then manufacturing is simple, but interconnection flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The clip design extends engagement beyond a single geometrical plane by incorporating protrusions and fingers that can interact with features at different depths and orientations. This multi-planar engagement capability allows interconnected components to be positioned and secured in three-dimensional space, providing interconnection flexibility while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized clip geometry.
3Productivity
If rapid assembly and disassembly are enabled, then productivity increases, but connection reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The clip incorporates resilient fingers that can dynamically flex during assembly and disassembly operations. During assembly, the fingers flex outward to accommodate insertion, then spring back to securely engage with the geometrical features. During disassembly, the fingers flex inward to release the connection. This dynamic behavior enables rapid assembly and disassembly while maintaining reliable connections during normal use.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a clip system and method for joining plates using the system of clips, with each clip including a base, a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a first pair of fingers, and a second pair of fingers, with the first protrusion and the second protrusion extending in opposite directions away from the base.