Panel Locking Clip and Anchors for Precise Heavy Panel Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing panel installation systems face challenges such as ill-fitting portions and inefficient, time-consuming processes when attaching panels to substrates, leading to suboptimal results and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A panel installation system utilizing first and second support anchors, a curtain wall member, an interlocking bracket, and a locking clip, which allows for secure mounting and easy removal of panels, even large and heavy ones, using materials like high-grade stainless steel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional panel installation methods are used, then panels can be attached to substrates, but the installation process is inefficient and time-consuming, resulting in ill-fitting portions and suboptimal results
Solution Approach 1:
The installation system is divided into separate functional components: support anchors attached to the substrate, interlocking brackets attached to panel ends, and locking clips that secure the connection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates a more efficient, standardized installation process that improves both productivity and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Interlocking brackets serve as intermediary components between the support anchors and panel ends. These brackets provide a standardized connection interface that ensures proper positioning and alignment, eliminating the ill-fitting portions associated with traditional direct attachment methods while streamlining the installation process.
2Reliability
If panels are securely mounted to withstand heavy loads (up to thousands of pounds), then structural reliability is improved, but the installation and removal process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The locking clip incorporates a movable jaw that can be shifted between locked and unlocked positions. This dynamic mechanism allows the clip to securely hold the bracket in place during installation, providing reliable mounting for heavy loads, while also enabling quick release when removal is needed, thus reducing the time penalty associated with secure mounting systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking clip's movable jaw automatically engages with the bracket to provide secure mounting without requiring additional fasteners or complex assembly steps. The self-locking mechanism maintains structural reliability for heavy loads while eliminating time-consuming manual securing operations.
3Quantity of substance
If panels are made large and heavy to reduce the number of panels needed, then material quantity is reduced, but handling and installation becomes more difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The support anchor system provides distributed support points along the substrate, allowing large panels to be securely attached at multiple locations. This segmentation of the support structure enables the use of fewer, larger panels while maintaining ease of installation, as each panel can be systematically secured at predetermined anchor points rather than requiring complex handling procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
Interlocking brackets serve as intermediaries that simplify the connection between large, heavy panels and the support anchors. These brackets provide standardized attachment points that make handling and installation of large panels more manageable, reducing the operational difficulty despite the increased panel size and reduced panel quantity.
Data Source
AI summary
In certain embodiments, a panel installation method includes attaching first and second support anchors to a substrate, with the second support anchor spaced apart from the first support anchor. Each support anchor is elongated and includes a base for attaching to the substrate and respective projections extending outwardly from the bases. A tab extends upwardly from the first support anchor's projection, and a prong extends from the second support anchor's base. The method includes mounting a panel having first and second ends to the substrate via the first and second support anchors, including coupling the first end to the first support anchor, coupling an interlocking bracket to the second end, and coupling the second end to the second support anchor by engaging the interlocking bracket with the prong. The method includes positioning a stabilizing insert in a gap between the interlocking bracket and the projection of the second support anchor.