Monolithic Wall Mounting Bracket for Weld-Free Rail Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing metal wall mounting brackets for cantilever arms face issues with weld quality risks and material limitations due to welding, which complicates the manufacturing process and compromises load-bearing reinforcement.

Innovation Solution

A monolithic metal wall mounting bracket with a socket and supporting rim, featuring flange profiles and a supporting rim, that securely holds the mounting rail using mechanical fasteners, eliminating the need for welding and allowing pre-galvanized materials, providing a reinforced two-point load-bearing connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If welding is used to join the rail supporting piece to the wall plate, then a load-bearing connection is achieved, but weld quality risks increase and pre-galvanised materials cannot be used

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing connectionVSAvoidweld quality
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the rail supporting piece and wall plate into a single monolithic component formed from one piece of pre-galvanised metal. This eliminates the welded joint between these two parts, removing weld quality risks while maintaining load-bearing capacity through the integrated structure. The socket and supporting rim are formed as integral parts of the same piece of metal, creating inherent structural strength without requiring welding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary galvanisation to the entire bracket before assembly, rather than attempting to galvanise after welding. By forming the complete bracket from pre-galvanised material and assembling mechanical components beforehand, the protective galvanised coating is preserved throughout the structure without being compromised by subsequent welding operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If welding is used to join the rail supporting piece to the wall plate, then a load-bearing connection is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing connectionVSAvoidmanufacturing process
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple components (wall plate, rail supporting piece, socket, supporting rim) into a single monolithic bracket that is formed from one piece of metal through punching and bending operations. This eliminates the need for welding processes, simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs while maintaining load-bearing capacity through the integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the welding process with mechanical forming operations (punching, bending, shaping) to create the load-bearing structure. Instead of joining separate pieces through welding, the bracket is formed as a single piece using mechanical manufacturing processes that are simpler and more cost-effective.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of manufacture

If a mechanical connection is used instead of welding, then welding costs are reduced, but the wall plate does not provide sufficient reinforcement for the load-bearing connection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidload-bearing reinforcement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality enhancement by creating a supporting rim and socket structures with specific geometric configurations that concentrate and distribute loads effectively. The supporting rim extends into the rail to provide localized reinforcement at the load-bearing interface, while the socket structure provides additional structural support. These locally optimized features compensate for the absence of welding while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds dimensional complexity to the bracket structure by forming the supporting rim that extends into the rail and the three-dimensional socket structure. These additional geometric dimensions provide reinforcement and load distribution without requiring welding, transforming a simple flat plate into a multi-dimensional load-bearing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4168681B1Wall mounting bracket for a mounting rail and method of manufacture thereof
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 J VAN WALRAVEN HLDG BV
  • EP4168681B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4168681B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4168681B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Wall mounting bracket for mounting an elongate mounting rail as a cantilever arm to a wall or other supporting surface. The bracket comprises: - a wall plate having mounting holes for mounting the bracket to a wall by means of male fasteners; - a socket for inserting the end portion of the mounting rail, comprising at least two flange profiles, which at their distal end have an embracing portion to interlock with the end portion of the mounting rail thereby inhibiting movement of an inserted end portion parallel to the wall plate. At least one of the embracing portions has a fixing hole for passing through a male fastener to fix the end portion of the mounting rail so as to inhibit retraction of the end portion from the socket; - a supporting rim within the socket, configured to interlock with the outer side or the inner side of the end portion of the mounting rail, thereby inhibiting movement of an inserted end portion parallel to the mounting plate.