Monolithic Clip Bracket for Fastener-Free Tubular Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bracket assemblies for air handling units are time-consuming to assemble, costly, limited in installation scenarios, prone to loosening, and not structurally adjustable, with excessive components like bolts and nuts.
Innovation Solution
A bracket design featuring a first plate, a second plate, and a clip with fingers that can cantileveredly extend from the second plate, allowing for secure holding of tubular members without the need for additional fasteners, and enabling structural adjustments through bendable configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bracket assembly uses a clip fastened to the bracket via bolt and nut, then the clip can be securely attached to the bracket, but the assembly becomes time-consuming and laborious to install especially onsite
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the clip and bracket into a single monolithic structure made from a single piece of material. The clip portion and bracket portion are formed as one continuous piece with no separate fastening components, eliminating the need for bolts and nuts while maintaining structural integrity and secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the fastening components (bolts and nuts) from the assembly by redesigning the clip and bracket as an integrated unit. The extraction of these separate fastening elements simplifies the assembly to a single piece that requires no additional fasteners for attachment.
2Reliability
If a bracket assembly includes clip, bracket, bolt, and nut as separate components, then the clip can be attached to the bracket, but the assembly becomes costly and subject to supply shortages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (clip and bracket) into a single integrated structure. The monolithic design merges what were previously separate parts into one continuous piece of material, reducing component quantity while maintaining attachment security through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the fastening components (bolts and nuts) from the assembly by redesigning the system as a single-piece structure. This removal of unnecessary components reduces both the number of parts and associated costs while preserving the functional attachment capability.
3Reliability
If a bracket assembly uses traditional fastening components, then the clip can be attached to the bracket, but the assembly is limited to specific installation scenarios within the air handling unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the monolithic bracket with universal applicability across different installation scenarios. The integrated structure can be configured for various mounting positions and orientations, making it adaptable to different air handling unit configurations and installation locations without requiring different fastening systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates bendable portions into the monolithic structure that allow the bracket to be adjusted to different angles and positions. This dynamic capability enables the same integrated bracket to adapt to various installation scenarios by being bent or shaped as needed, increasing versatility while maintaining attachment security.
4Reliability
If a bracket assembly uses bolts and nuts to fasten the clip, then the clip can be securely attached, but the fasteners may become loosened over time causing the clip to move or become unsecured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the clip and bracket into a monolithic structure where the attachment interface is formed as an integral part of the same piece of material. This eliminates separate fastening components that could loosen over time, as the integrated design creates a permanent, fixed connection that cannot become unsecured through fastener degradation.
5Reliability
If a bracket assembly uses separate clip and bracket components, then the components can be attached together, but the assembly is not structurally adjustable based on where it is used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates bendable portions into the monolithic bracket structure that allow for structural adjustment after installation. These flexible sections enable the bracket to be bent or shaped to accommodate different mounting positions and orientations, providing structural adaptability while maintaining the security of the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the monolithic bracket with universal adaptability through integrated bendable portions that allow the same structure to be configured for various installation scenarios. This multi-functional design enables structural adjustment without requiring separate components or fastening systems.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure enables various brackets and methods of manufacture and use thereof. For example, a bracket may have a first plate, a second plate, and a clip cantileveredly extending from the second plate or monolithic with the second plate.