Mounting Rail Module Latching Foot Part Detachment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical assemblies on mounting rails face challenges in easy detachment without damage, especially in vibrating environments, and require significant space, which limits their modular flexibility and increases the risk of short circuits or damage to electrical contacts.

Innovation Solution

An electrical assembly with a base body and a displaceable foot part that allows for easy detachment by moving the foot part away from the neighboring assembly, utilizing sliding and latching mechanisms to ensure safe and space-efficient alignment and disengagement, enabling easy handling and preventing damage to electrical contacts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If electrical assemblies are detached by removing parallelism (sliding apart), then detachment is achieved, but installation space requirement increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetachment operationVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The detachment mechanism is segmented into two independent functions: a foot part for releasing the latching connection and a ramp structure for providing detachment force. This segmentation allows the detachment operation to be performed in a compact space without requiring the entire assembly to slide apart obliquely.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from oblique detachment (requiring space in multiple dimensions) to linear detachment along the mounting rail. The foot part activates a mechanism that pushes the assembly away in the same dimension as the mounting rail, eliminating the need for additional space in perpendicular dimensions.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If electrical contacts are provided in abutting walls for contact when assemblies are arranged adjacent, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but risk of contact damage or short circuits increases during detachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connectivityVSAvoidcontact safety during detachment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The foot part is activated before the assemblies fully separate, initiating a controlled detachment sequence. The latching connection is released first, allowing the ramp mechanism to gradually push the assemblies apart, ensuring electrical contacts are disconnected in a controlled manner rather than abruptly, which prevents damage and short circuits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If assemblies are securely latched to prevent automatic disengagement in vibrating environments, then reliability is improved, but ease of detachment operation may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance to vibrationVSAvoiddetachment operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The foot part serves as an intermediary tool that mediates between the operator and the latching mechanism. Instead of directly manipulating the latching connection, the operator uses the foot part to activate the release mechanism, making the operation easier while maintaining secure latching during normal operation and vibration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2606534B1Mounting rail and module latching system
Publication Date: 2019.01.09 WEIDMULLER INTERFACE GMBH & CO
  • EP2606534B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2b
  • EP2606534B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b
  • EP2606534B1 patent drawingFigure 4a~4b

AI summary

An assembly (11), in particular an electrical assembly, which can be attached to a mounting rail (2) and can be arranged in a row therealong by movement in a row direction (201), to an adjacent assembly (12) which is arranged on the mounting rail (2) having a base body (4) and having a foot part (3) which can be moved relative to the base body (4) in an opposite direction to a movement direction (301), wherein the assembly (11) can be detached from the adjacent assembly (12) by movement of the foot part (3) in the movement direction (301), with movement away from the adjacent assembly (12), in the opposite direction to the row direction (201), taking place at the same time as the detachment.