Nested Security Mounting Arrangement for Theft Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounting arrangements for accessory structures on primary structures, such as vehicles, are vulnerable to theft due to ease of access and removal of fastening components.
Innovation Solution
A security mounting arrangement featuring a bracket system with a tongue and groove mechanism, combined with a sleeve and multiple fastening members, including bolts and nuts with specific thread configurations and diameters, to securely attach and adjust accessory structures like light bars and spotlights, preventing unauthorized removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard fastening members (bolts and nuts) are used for mounting accessory structures, then the mounting system is simple and easy to assemble, but the fastening components are vulnerable to theft due to ease of access and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested fastening system where a inner fastening member (bolt with security head) is contained within an outer fastening member (sleeve with aperture). The inner bolt cannot be accessed or removed without first removing the outer sleeve, which is secured by additional fastening members. This nested configuration prevents theft by making the critical fastening component inaccessible, while maintaining reasonable assembly complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system is divided into multiple independent segments: the outer sleeve assembly, the inner bolt assembly, and the fastening members securing the sleeve. Each segment can be assembled and secured separately. The sleeve is fastened to the accessory structure first, then the inner bolt is inserted and secured. This segmentation allows for staged assembly and creates multiple barriers to theft, as removing one segment does not automatically expose the others.
2Reliability
If multiple fastening members with specific thread configurations are used, then unauthorized removal is prevented, but the assembly and disassembly process becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The outer sleeve is pre-configured with apertures and thread configurations that align with the inner bolt and mounting structure. The sleeve can be positioned and preliminary fastened before the inner bolt is inserted and secured. This preliminary action allows the critical security components to be in place before final tightening, reducing the time required for the most security-critical portions of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the fastening system have different thread configurations and security features optimized for their specific functions. The outer sleeve may have external threads for securing to the mounting structure, while the inner bolt has internal threads for securing to the accessory. This local optimization allows each component to be assembled efficiently in its specific location without requiring complex coordination across the entire system.
3Reliability
If the sleeve aperture has varying diameters (first portion with larger diameter, second portion with smaller diameter), then the fastening members are constrained and protected, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve aperture is designed with different diameter sections at different locations along its length. The first portion has a larger diameter to accommodate the head of the inner bolt or allow tool access, while the second portion has a smaller diameter to constrain the shank of the bolt. This local variation in aperture quality provides both functional benefits (tool access and bolt constraint) and manufacturing benefits (each section can be machined to appropriate tolerances for its specific function rather than requiring uniform high precision throughout).
Data Source
AI summary
A security mounting arrangement can include a first fastening member, a second fastening member, a sleeve, and a third fastening member. The first fastening member can be a bolt. The second fastening member can be a nut threadingly engageable with the first fastening member. The sleeve can have an aperture configured to receive the second fastening member and a portion of the first fastening member. The third fastening member can be a bolt extendable through an aperture of the first fastening member and threadingly engageable with the inwardly-facing threads defined by the third fastening member. The third fastening member can have a security head.