Wall Mounting Box Alignment via Breakaway Protrusions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mounting boxes for prefabricated walls often misalign during the manufacturing process, requiring skilled labor and increasing installation difficulties due to the need for precise alignment and attachment, which complicates the construction process.

Innovation Solution

A mounting box design featuring tubular parts with double-sided tape and alignment means, such as weakened boundaries or protrusions, that allow for proper alignment within the mould before pouring wall material, enabling easy fixing and reducing the need for skilled labor.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mounting boxes are built into prefabricated walls using conventional methods, then functional modules can be safely built into walls with proper cable connections, but alignment precision deteriorates during manufacturing causing misalignment in the final product

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafe building in of functional modulesVSAvoidalignment of mounting box in mould
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing alignment means (protrusions or feet) on the mounting box before placing it in the mould. These alignment means are designed to automatically engage with corresponding features in the mould, ensuring proper positioning is established before the pouring process begins. This preliminary positioning action prevents misalignment that would otherwise occur during manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If mounting boxes are manually aligned and fixed at the construction site, then proper alignment can be achieved, but the amount of work and skill required increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment of functional module in wallVSAvoidamount of work and skill required
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by designing the mounting box with integrated alignment means that automatically perform the alignment function. The protrusions or feet on the mounting box self-align with corresponding features in the mould during placement, eliminating the need for manual alignment operations by skilled workers at the construction site. The system serves itself by incorporating the alignment capability directly into the mounting box structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If mounting boxes are secured to the mould bottom with adhesive tape, then alignment can be maintained during pouring, but the process becomes complicated and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment stability during pouringVSAvoidsimplicity of mounting process
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the alignment and securing function from complex adhesive tape application processes and integrates it directly into the mounting box structure through built-in protrusions or feet. These structural features automatically engage with the mould bottom, providing both alignment and secure attachment in a single integrated solution. This eliminates the separate, complicated step of applying adhesive tape while maintaining alignment stability during pouring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 ensures proper alignment of the mounting box with minimal effort, saving time in the factory and facilitating aesthetically pleasing installations by allowing for easy correction and secure attachment during wall manufacturing.

Implementation Method 1

The edge of the open front end is provided with a double-sided tape

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2824782B1Mounting box for building into a wall, and procedure for building in such a mounting box
Publication Date: 2018.05.16 NIKO NV
  • EP2824782B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2824782B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2824782B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention provides a mounting box (10) for building into a prefabricated wall. The mounting box (10) comprises at least one tubular part (11) with an open front end (13) and an open back end (14). The open front end (13) is bordered by a small edge and that edge (100) is provided with a double-sided tape. The mounting box (10) furthermore comprises alignment means (101) for introducing a gap (G) between a mould and the mounting box (10) when placing the mounting box (10) into the mould, the alignment means (101) comprising a weakened boundary such that, when applying a force to the mounting box (10), the alignment means (101) is removed and the mounting box is fixed to the mould.