Plate Member Connecting Structure for Tool-Free Multi-Material Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connecting structures for plate members are limited in material applicability and require bending, making them difficult to assemble and maintain the assembled state across various materials.
Innovation Solution
A connecting structure featuring projections with resilient and engagement portions that allow for easy assembly and secure retention of plate members, using projections with a main body, resilient portions, and engagement portions that deform to fit within grooves, enabling assembly without tools or adhesives and accommodating a variety of materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a connecting structure with projected fragments and connecting grooves is used to easily assemble plate members, then the assembly ease is improved, but the material applicability is limited due to bending requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the connection mechanism from bending-based to deformation-based. The projection includes a resilient portion that can be elastically deformed during assembly and an engagement portion that can be plastically deformed to engage with the groove. This parameter change in deformation behavior allows the structure to work with various materials including wood, bamboo, paper, resin, and metal without requiring bending, thus resolving the contradiction between assembly ease and material applicability
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting structure incorporates dynamic deformation characteristics through the resilient portion that can flex during assembly and the engagement portion that deforms to lock into the groove. This dynamic behavior allows the connection to adapt to different material properties and assembly conditions, enabling easy assembly across diverse materials without the rigidity constraints of traditional bent-wood joint structures
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 structure allows for easy assembly and secure retention of plate members across different materials, ensuring stability and versatility in assembly without the need for bending or specific materials, facilitating the use of diverse materials like wood, bamboo, paper, resin, or metal.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient portion provided on one side of the main body in the second direction and resiliently inwardly deformable in the second direction
Implementation Method 2
an engagement portion outwardly expanded in the second direction from the resilient portion and configured to be plastically deformed along and engage with one of the inner faces of the groove
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a connecting structure for plate members, including a projection projected from one of the plate members in a first direction, and a groove provided on the other of the plate members to have inner faces facing each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction and configured to fittingly receive the projection. The projection includes a main body, a resilient portion provided on one side of the main body in the second direction and resiliently inwardly deformable in the second direction, and an engagement portion outwardly expanded in the second direction from the resilient portion and configured to be plastically deformed along and engage with one of the inner faces of the groove when the groove fittingly receives the projection.