Night Latch Mounting Plate with Projection-Based Door Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional night latch assemblies are difficult to fit due to the need for precise alignment and positioning of components, which often requires trial and error, and the mounting plate is often bulky and expensive to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A night latch assembly with a mounting plate featuring a projection that fits into a hole in the door, providing a positioning feature and support, allowing easier alignment and attachment of components, and potentially reducing material usage and manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional mounting plate design is used, then the night latch assembly can be attached to the door, but the fitting process becomes complex and time-consuming due to precise alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate includes pre-formed projections that fit into corresponding holes in the door frame before the actual assembly is completed. This preliminary positioning feature is built into the mounting plate design, allowing the assembler to quickly locate and secure the mounting plate to the door frame without complex alignment procedures or trial-and-error positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The projections on the mounting plate act as intermediary elements that mediate between the mounting plate and the door frame. These projections provide a simple mechanical interface that facilitates easy attachment and positioning, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures and reducing fitting time significantly.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the mounting plate is made robust to prevent component movement, then component positioning stability is improved, but manufacturing cost and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate is segmented into functional elements: the main plate body and the projections. The projections are separate, discrete features that can be easily formed as part of the plate manufacturing process. This segmentation allows the mounting plate to achieve stability through the projections engaging with the door frame holes rather than requiring the entire plate to be excessively thick or heavy.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting plate employs local quality by concentrating structural reinforcement at the projection locations rather than uniformly throughout the entire plate. The projections provide localized strength and stability where needed (at the attachment points to the door frame), while the rest of the plate can be made thinner and less material-intensive, reducing overall material usage while maintaining necessary stability.
3Reliability
If traditional screw attachment method is used, then the cylinder assembly and mounting plate can be attached to the door, but the process requires multiple attempts and significant dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The projections are pre-formed on the mounting plate to fit into corresponding holes in the door frame, providing preliminary positioning and attachment guidance. This preliminary feature is built into the mounting plate design, allowing the assembler to quickly locate and secure the mounting plate to the door frame without complex alignment procedures or trial-and-error positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The projections on the mounting plate provide self-aligning and self-securing functionality. When the mounting plate is brought to the door frame, the projections automatically locate and engage with the corresponding holes, providing reliable attachment without requiring complex alignment procedures or multiple attempts. The design inherently guides the assembly process, reducing the skill level and time required for fitting.
Data Source
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AI summary
A night latch assembly (6) comprises a cylinder assembly (22), a lock case assembly (26) and a mounting plate (24). The cylinder assembly (22) and mounting plate (24) have mutually co-operative attachment structures (32, 34, 56, 58) by which they are attachable to one another. The lock case assembly (26) and mounting plate (24) do not have mutually co-operative attachment structures by which they are attachable to one another. The lock case assembly (26) has an attachment structure (72) configured for attachment of the lock case assembly (26) to a door (2).