Pivoting Railing End Bracket for Adjustable Angular Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brackets for attaching railing ends to vertical members are limited to horizontal and perpendicular orientations, and they often leave mounting hardware visible, increasing installation costs and aesthetic concerns.
Innovation Solution
A bracket with a cup and cap design that allows for user-selectable vertical or horizontal angular positioning, featuring a pivoting mechanism and a cover to conceal mounting hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional bracket is used to attach the railing end to the vertical member, then the attachment is simple and easy to accomplish, but the bracket is limited to horizontal and perpendicular orientations only
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket incorporates a pivoting mechanism that allows the cup to rotate relative to the vertical member, transforming the static bracket into a dynamic one capable of accommodating multiple orientations. The pivot joint enables the cup to be positioned at various angles while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is designed to perform multiple functions: it can attach railings at horizontal, vertical, and angled orientations, and it also provides aesthetic coverage by concealing mounting hardware. The universal design allows a single bracket type to replace multiple specialized brackets.
2Shape
If conventional installation techniques are used to achieve aesthetically pleasing results with concealed hardware, then the appearance is improved, but the installation cost increases due to higher skill requirements and labor hours
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting hardware (screws, bolts, and fasteners) is extracted from the visible exterior by being concealed within the bracket body and cap structure. The hardware is hidden inside the cup or between the cup and vertical member, so only the aesthetic exterior surfaces are visible after installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap serves as an intermediary element that covers the mounting hardware and provides a finished aesthetic appearance. The cap is attached to the bracket in a manner that hides the fasteners while maintaining structural integrity, mediating between the functional attachment requirement and the aesthetic concealment requirement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If angle cuts are made to the railing end to achieve proper orientation, then the railing can be installed at various angles, but the measurement and cutting process becomes tricky and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring static angle cuts on the railing, the dynamic pivoting mechanism allows the railing to be installed in a standard orientation and then adjusted to the desired angle through pivoting the cup, eliminating the need for precise angle cutting and measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket changes the orientation parameter from being fixed by the railing cut angle to being adjustable through the pivot mechanism. This allows the same railing piece to be installed at multiple angles by simply adjusting the bracket rather than recutting the railing.
Data Source
AI summary
A railing bracket includes a cup with a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall disposed opposite the first side wall. The first side wall defines a first through hole configured to receive a fastener. A cap has a top wall, a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall, wherein the cap has a U-shape configured to expose the bottom wall of the cup, the first lateral wall configured to cover a head of the fastener. The cap is configured to be snap fit to the cup in an overhead configuration and an underneath configuration, the overhead configuration includes the top wall of the cap disposed above the bottom wall of the cup and the first and second side walls of the cup disposed between the top wall of the cap and the bottom wall of the cup, and the underneath configuration includes the top wall of the cap disposed underneath the bottom wall of the cup.