Mounting Rail Fastener With Pivoting Hammerhead Screw Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fasteners for mounting rails lack versatility and security in attaching objects like cable or pipe clamps to mounting rails, particularly in terms of alignment and frictional hold, especially when dealing with varying slot orientations and sizes.

Innovation Solution

A fastener design featuring a threaded abutment with a pressure piece and elastic cantilever arms, allowing for pivoting and axial movement, combined with a U-shaped bracket for secure engagement with the mounting rail, ensuring stable attachment through friction and potential form fit, even at oblique angles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a conventional fastener with fixed geometry is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate varying slot orientations and sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of varying slot orientations and sizesVSAvoidfastener structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The abutment is designed to be pivotable relative to the pressure piece, allowing it to change its angular position dynamically. This enables the fastener to adapt to different slot orientations by pivoting the abutment to the appropriate angle, while the pressure piece maintains its fixed position for stable mounting rail contact

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The fastener is divided into functionally independent components: the pressure piece for stable contact with the mounting rail, and the abutment for engagement with the slot. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the pressure piece for stability and the abutment for adaptability through pivoting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the abutment is rigidly fixed to the pressure piece, then the fastener structure is simple, but alignment adjustments cannot be made

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment adjustment capabilityVSAvoidconnection mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between the abutment and pressure piece is made dynamic through a pivoting mechanism. The abutment can rotate relative to the pressure piece about an axis, enabling alignment adjustments to match different slot orientations while maintaining a relatively simple connection structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the fastener uses only frictional hold, then the structure is simple, but security under load is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity of attachment under loadVSAvoidfastening mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening mechanism combines two retention methods: frictional hold between the pressure piece and mounting rail, and form fit engagement of the abutment in the slot. This merging of friction-based and geometric-based retention provides enhanced security under load while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 fastener provides secure and versatile attachment to mounting rails by allowing alignment adjustments and maintaining hold through friction, preventing unintentional displacement, even under load, while accommodating different slot orientations and sizes.

Implementation Method 1

two elastic cantilever arms (22) arranged in the bracket, which run obliquely to the axis of the fastener

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The fastener is held against unintentional displacement on the mounting rail by friction or possibly also by a form fit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3658788B1Fastener for a fastening on a mounting rail
Publication Date: 2021.08.11 FISCHERWERKE ARTUR FISCHER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3658788B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3658788B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a fastener (1) for a fastening on a mounting rail (2), having a hammerhead screw (5) which is accommodated in a U-shaped clip (6) such that the hammerhead screw can be pivoted about the axis (10) thereof. According to the invention, two oblique and elastic cantilever arms (22) are provided in the clip (6), loading a screw head (8) against a perforated plate (7) which forms a pressure piece (13) and is arranged on a screw shaft (11). The cantilever arms (22) have heads (23) which limit a pivoting angle of the screw head (8) of the hammerhead screw (5) to about 90°, such that the screw head (8) can be set transversely in the mounting rail (2).