Underfloor Heating Pipe Fastener With Wedge Barb Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing holders for underfloor heating pipes often slip out of the thermal insulation or lamination due to differences in foam hardness and the design of barbs, leading to inadequate fixation, especially under tensile forces and during screed application, requiring specialized tools for secure anchoring.
Innovation Solution
The holder design features inner barbs that act as a wedge, ensuring the front and rear barbs grip the undamaged area of the insulation, providing additional holding force and eliminating the need for specialized setting tools, with a simple magazine system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If barbs are arranged on the front and rear of the legs to provide holding force, then the holder can resist tensile forces, but the barbs slip out through the self-punched hole in soft or hard foam insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a third barb orientation (inner barb perpendicular to the leg axis) in addition to the traditional front and rear barbs. This dimensional change in barb arrangement allows the inner barb to act as a wedge that prevents the front and rear barbs from slipping out through the punched hole, while maintaining resistance to tensile forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner barb serves as an intermediary element between the holder legs and the insulation material. It acts as a wedge that mediates the interaction between the holder and insulation, preventing the front and rear barbs from slipping out by distributing the forces and engaging the insulation material in a different manner.
2Strength
If barbs are made relatively hard to penetrate insulation, then they can push through the insulation layer, but they tear too large a hole in soft foam or do not expand sufficiently in hard foam
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is segmented into multiple independent barb elements (front barb, rear barb, and inner barb) that can function independently. This segmentation allows each barb to be optimized for its specific function: front and rear barbs for penetration and holding, inner barb for wedge action and hole closure prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the holder have different functional qualities: the front and rear barbs are designed for penetration and holding force, while the inner barb is designed for wedge action. This local differentiation of quality allows each barb to be optimized for its specific role in the fixation process.
3Reliability
If the holder legs are spread apart in initial form and clamped parallel during setting, then the outer barbs can grip undamaged insulation area, but a specially designed setting tool is required
Solution Approach 1:
The inner barb enables the holder to be self-setting without requiring a specialized tool. When the holder is pressed into the insulation, the inner barb automatically acts as a wedge that spreads the legs apart and positions the front and rear barbs to grip the insulation, eliminating the need for complex setting tools that force the legs apart.
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 holder effectively prevents slipping out of the insulation layer, ensuring secure anchoring of the underfloor heating pipes without requiring a specialized setting tool, and can be easily manufactured using a standard magazine system.
Implementation Method 1
the inner barb acts like a wedge and serves to slide the legs of the retainer outward so that the front and rear barbs actually grip the undamaged area of insulation
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a fastener for securing a pipe of an underfloor heating system, to a magazine of fasteners for securing a pipe of an underfloor heating system, and to a setting tool for using such a magazine. The fastener (1) has a front and a rear barbed hook (5 and 6) as well as an internal barbed hook (4). The internal barbed hook (4) serves as a wedge when driven into an insulation layer and ensures secure anchoring of the front and rear barbed hook (5 and 6) in the insulation layer. For magazining purposes, continuous robust frame stays are arranged on both sides of a row of fasteners (1), each fastener (1) being connected thereto on each of the outer sides thereof by means of at least one weaker separation web. The setting tool for using a such a magazine has a magazine rod from which stops protrude into the fall path of the magazine, against which the frame stays rest when pushed onto the magazine rod.