U-Shaped Mounting Wedge With Reversible Spreading Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounting wedges for connecting fitting holders to fastening rails are prone to loosening, damage the coating, and are difficult to dismantle, due to their design and materials.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped wedge body with a spreading device featuring a threaded screw and block system that expands reversibly to securely attach and detach the fitting holder from the rail without damaging coatings, using a corrosion-resistant material and design features like bevels and guide grooves for stability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple shaped cast iron wedge is used to connect fitting holder to mounting rail, then the device is easy to manufacture, but the wedge loosens and slips out during operation and cannot be securely attached
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge is divided into a U-shaped wedge body with separate first and second legs, allowing independent spreading action. This segmentation enables the wedge to be expanded between the arms of the fitting holder, creating a secure mechanical interlock that prevents loosening and slipping during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The wedge incorporates a dynamic spreading mechanism with a spreading device that can actively open the legs at an acute angle. This dynamic capability allows the wedge to be securely expanded between the fitting holder arms during installation and then locked in position, ensuring reliable attachment throughout operation.
2Ease of operation
If force is applied to drive the wedge into position, then the wedge can be inserted between fitting holder and mounting rail, but the coating on both wedge and fitting holder is damaged causing corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The U-shaped wedge body with spreading legs acts as an intermediary mechanism between the fitting holder and mounting rail. Instead of directly impacting the fitting holder, the wedge is inserted in a relaxed state and then gradually expanded to create the securing force, eliminating direct impact damage to coatings while still achieving secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The wedge is inserted into position in a compact, unexpanded state before the spreading action is applied. This preliminary insertion without force protects the coating during the insertion phase, and the securing force is applied gradually through the spreading mechanism rather than through impact.
3Reliability
If the wedge is driven in tightly to secure the fitting holder, then secure attachment is achieved, but subsequent dismantling becomes difficult or impossible requiring considerable force
Solution Approach 1:
The reversible spreading device allows the wedge legs to be dynamically adjusted between expanded and compact positions. During installation, the legs are spread to secure the fitting holder; during dismantling, the spreading force is reversed to compact the legs, enabling easy removal without requiring excessive force or damage to components.
Solution Approach 2:
The wedge maintains its securing function throughout operation with the legs in the expanded position, then the spreading force is reversed to recover the compact state for easy removal. This reversible action allows the wedge to be securely attached during use and easily dismantled when needed, without permanent deformation or damage.
4Reliability
If the wedge structure is made complex with additional components to prevent loosening, then secure attachment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spreading device is integrated within the U-shaped wedge body structure itself, with the spreading block and threaded screw mechanism incorporated into the legs. This merging of functions allows the wedge to provide both structural support and active spreading capability in a single integrated component, preventing loosening without requiring separate external mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The wedge body serves multiple functions: it provides the structural U-shaped framework, contains the spreading mechanism, and acts as the active expanding element between the fitting holder arms. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components while maintaining reliable prevention of loosening throughout operation.
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 provides a secure, easy-to-use, and corrosion-resistant mounting system that maintains attachment and allows for easy tightening or loosening without damaging coatings, ensuring long-term reliability and durability.
Implementation Method 1
The spreading device comprises a spreading block with an internal thread or a bore, which carries a threaded screw and is guided between the legs in such a way that when the threaded screw is actuated, it occurs between the first leg and the second leg and pushes them apart.
Implementation Method 2
the first leg and/or the second leg can have a bevel on the sides that are oriented toward one another and are in contact with the expanding block, so that the legs are driven apart when the threaded screw is screwed in.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
The invention relates to a mounting wedge (1) for a releasable, force-fit connection of a valve holder (2) to a mounting rail (3), wherein the mounting wedge (1) comprises a U-shaped body (4) with a first leg (5) and a second leg (6) as well as a spreading device arranged between the legs, wherein, by actuating the spreading device, the legs (5, 6) can be reversibly spread apart at an acute angle to each other in order to fix the valve holder (2) to the mounting rail (3). The invention further relates to a system consisting of such a mounting wedge (1) and a valve holder (2) attached to a mounting rail (3).