Modular Clip Fastener Assembly for Privacy Screen Panel Connection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing privacy screen assemblies for workstations are complex, expensive to manufacture, and difficult to install, often requiring specialized tools and expertise, and are not adaptable for different panel sizes or arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A simple and inexpensive panel connector assembly using identical connectors with complementary couplers that can be easily attached to panel edges, allowing for modular arrangements such as T or X shapes, and are constructed from materials like plastic or metal for secure and aesthetically pleasing installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If complex structures are used for privacy screen assemblies, then strength and stability are improved, but manufacturing cost and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The privacy screen assembly is divided into separate panel units that can be independently manufactured and then connected through edge-to-edge joining. Each panel is a self-contained module with standardized dimensions and attachment mechanisms, allowing complex overall structures to be built from simple, standardized components.
Solution Approach 2:
Standardized panel dimensions and connection mechanisms are designed to serve multiple functions: structural support, aesthetic consistency, and adaptability to various configurations. The same panel design can be used in different arrangements (L-shapes, straight lines, angles) to create diverse workstation configurations without requiring custom components.
2Manufacturing precision
If specialized tools and expertise are required for installation, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism is designed to be self-aligning and self-securing, allowing end users to install panels without specialized tools or expertise. The edge-to-edge joining system incorporates features that automatically guide proper alignment and provide intuitive attachment, eliminating the need for specialized installation knowledge.
Solution Approach 2:
Panels are pre-manufactured with standardized connection features and precise dimensions built into the design. The connection mechanisms are pre-configured with alignment guides and attachment features that ensure proper positioning before final assembly, reducing the skill level required during installation.
3Manufacturing precision
If privacy screens are designed for specific workstation applications, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A standardized panel design with consistent dimensions and connection interfaces is created that can be used across multiple workstation configurations. The same panel units can be arranged in various patterns (straight, L-shaped, angled) and combined in different numbers to suit different workspace requirements, maintaining manufacturing efficiency while providing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly system is designed to be dynamically configurable, allowing panels to be easily added, removed, or repositioned to adapt to changing workstation needs. The standardized connection mechanism enables rapid reconfiguration without requiring custom components for different applications.
4Ease of manufacture
If connectors are made visible, then ease of manufacture is improved, but appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism is integrated into the panel edge structure itself, merging the functional connection element with the aesthetic panel surface. The connector becomes part of the panel's overall form rather than a separate visible component, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving a clean, unified appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The visible surfaces of the panels are designed with different qualities than the connection areas. The front-facing surfaces maintain smooth, continuous aesthetics, while the edge regions incorporate the connection features. This localized differentiation allows functional elements to be hidden from primary viewing angles while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for a modular fastener assembly for use with multiple panel members. In some embodiments, the fastener assembly can include one or more fasteners (i.e., connectors, clips, etc.). Each of the fasteners can include a channel configured to receive an edge of a panel member, a coupling protrusion extending from an outer surface of the fastener, and an opening formed on another external surface of the fastener configured to be complementarily shaped to the coupling protrusion such that a coupling protrusion on another fastener can be received in the opening to secure two fasteners of the fastener assembly together.