Plastic Housing Screw Connection Without a Metal Cage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing plastics housing device for antenna modules in motor vehicles requires a costly metal cage for alignment and clamping, leading to complex installation processes and additional production costs due to tolerance issues.
Innovation Solution
A plastics housing device with integrated snap-action hooks and spring tabs that eliminate the need for a separate metal cage, allowing for direct form-fitting installation and automatic thread engagement of the screw, thereby simplifying the installation process and compensating for tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a metal cage is used for alignment and clamping, then positioning precision and clamping stability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the positioning element and clamping element into a single integrated plastic housing structure. The positioning element with form-fitting geometry provides alignment, while the clamping element with screw connection provides securing force, eliminating the need for a separate metal cage and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure where a plastic housing integrates both positioning and clamping functions. The plastic material allows for complex geometries to be molded directly, providing both positioning surfaces and clamping interfaces without requiring additional metal components.
2Reliability
If a metal cage with separate clamping element is used, then clamping stability is improved, but installation complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the positioning element and clamping element into one integrated component. The positioning element with form-fitting geometry enables direct insertion and alignment, while the integrated clamping element with screw connection provides secure fastening, allowing single-step installation without separate assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning element is pre-configured with form-fitting geometry that automatically aligns the clamping element during insertion. The screw thread is pre-formed on the integrated clamping element, eliminating the need for preliminary screwing operations and enabling direct installation.
3Manufacturing precision
If a separate metal cage and clamping element are used, then positioning accuracy is improved, but additional production costs and tolerance issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite plastic housing that integrates both positioning and clamping functions. The plastic material allows for complex geometries to be molded directly with built-in tolerance compensation, eliminating the need for separate metal components and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs spring tabs with elastic deformation capability to compensate for tolerance variations. The spring tabs can deflect to accommodate dimensional variations in the positioning holes, ensuring reliable form-fitting connection without requiring tight tolerance control during manufacturing.
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
This solution reduces costs and simplifies the installation process by integrating the metal cage functionality into the plastics housing, ensuring secure clamping without prior screwing and improving tolerance compensation during assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The screw is pressed against the clamping element—thread against thread—by spring tabs in the plastic cover, also referred to as 'housing cover ', and therefore no prior screwing-together is necessary, because the threads engage immediately when the screw is rotated. Tolerances are compensated for by the spring travel of the tabs.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a plastics housing device for indirect screw connection for a motor vehicle, wherein the plastics housing device comprises: at least one positioning element; a clamping element; and a screw element; wherein the at least one positioning element is configured to hold the clamping element in position in form-fitting fashion; wherein the screw element is configured to be pressed against the clamping element by the at least one positioning element and thereby cause a rotation of the clamping element; wherein the clamping element is configured to clamp the plastics housing device to a metal panel by way of the rotation.