Plug-In Frame Assembly With Inclined Hidden Screw Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method of screwing plug-in frame elements together, particularly for doors and windows, is cumbersome and risky due to limited space and height, potentially damaging the frame and requiring uncomfortable manual work at elevated heights.
Innovation Solution
The plug-in frame design features connecting openings arranged one behind the other, with a smaller rear opening for the screw to cut into the frame material and a larger front opening for secure head retention, along with an inclined screw guide to facilitate easier installation and avoid visible screws, using a sealing profile to cover the screw heads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If screws are driven horizontally through consecutive openings on the back wall of the sealing groove, then the screw connection is hidden and barely visible, but the working space is limited and the risk of damaging the frame increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimension of screw insertion from horizontal (through the back wall) to inclined (through the sealing groove at an angle). The screw guide channels the screw at an inclination angle of 10-45 degrees relative to the back wall, allowing the screw to be driven from a more accessible direction while still achieving hidden fastening. This dimensional change resolves the contradiction by providing both adequate working space and concealed screw placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a screw guide as an intermediary component between the screw and the frame elements. The screw guide with its inclined channel mediates the screw insertion process, enabling the screw to be driven at an inclined angle through the sealing groove. This intermediary device facilitates easier operation while maintaining the aesthetic requirement of hidden screws.
2Ease of manufacture
If screws are driven horizontally at elevated heights more than 2 meters, then the frame elements can be connected, but the need for ladders increases safety risks and installation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the screw insertion direction from horizontal to inclined, allowing screws to be driven at an angle through the sealing groove. This inclination enables installers to reach the screw driving position from below or at a more accessible angle, eliminating the need for ladders when installing frame heads at heights above 2 meters. The inclined screw guide provides both structural connection and improved installer accessibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual or electric screwdrivers are used in limited space close to the frame interior, then screw connections can be made, but the discomfort and difficulty of work increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an inclined screw guide that changes the working dimension from confined horizontal space to an extended inclined pathway. The screw guide channel allows the screwdriver to approach the screw from an inclined direction with adequate clearance, eliminating the cramped working conditions that occur when driving screws horizontally through the back wall. This provides comfortable working positions while maintaining secure frame connections.
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a plug-in frame comprising at least two interconnectable frame elements. According to the invention, the screw guide for connecting the frame elements is not located in the sealing groove, but rather next to the sealing groove in the rebate, thus enabling the desired rebate depth and simplifying the installation of the plug-in frame.