Profile Rung Concealed Screw Assembly with Spring Steel Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing profile rungs for roofing structures allow limited pre-assembly and feature visible screws, which negatively impact the visual appearance and are prone to rust, especially when screws begin to rust.
Innovation Solution
A profile rung design with a hole between ribs for concealed screwing to a substructure, utilizing a pierceable material layer for screw penetration and a mushroom-like head piece for enhanced locking, along with a groove for a spring steel element to support panel elements against deformations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If profile rungs are screwed to a substructure with visible screws, then the connection strength is improved, but the visual appearance deteriorates and rust susceptibility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover element is nested over the screw head and piercing element, concealing them within the profile rung structure. The cover element fits into the contour of the profile rung, creating a nested arrangement where the fastening components are hidden inside the visible structure, eliminating visual defects while maintaining connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful visual elements (screw heads and piercing elements) are extracted from the visible surface by positioning them beneath the cover element. The piercing element is inserted through a base element and the cover element is placed over it, effectively taking out the rust-prone screw components from exposure to environmental factors and visual view.
2Productivity
If pre-assembly of panel elements is enabled, then the assembly efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The profile rung is segmented into modular components: base element with U-shaped receptacles, piercing elements for fastening, and cover elements for concealment. Each panel element can be independently assembled into the receptacles before being integrated into the overall structure, enabling pre-assembly while maintaining manageable structural complexity through standardization.
Solution Approach 2:
Panel elements are pre-assembled into the U-shaped receptacles of the base element before final installation. The piercing elements are pre-positioned through the base element, allowing panel elements to be attached in advance. This preliminary assembly action occurs before the cover element is installed and before final fixation to the substructure, improving overall assembly efficiency.
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
Enables simple and concealed assembly of panel elements with improved connection strength and resistance to deformations, maintaining a visually appealing structure while addressing rust issues.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient rib section is formed, which in the course of the latching presses the mushroom-like head piece against the U-shaped section
Implementation Method 2
A groove for receiving a spring steel is advantageously arranged below the U-shaped receptacle of the partial profiles. This enables the assembly of a spring element, for example a spring steel, which is introduced into two grooves arranged opposite a received plate element and is prestressed against the plate element
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The frame has two partial profiles (1, 2) connectable with one another and identically formed, where the partial profiles exhibit a U-shaped retainer i.e. screw (4), for a plate element. The partial profiles exhibit ribs (14, 15, 24, 25) of different length extending transverse to a longitudinal axis of the plate element and spaced with each other. A pair of locking lugs is deformed at ends of the ribs and is lockable with another pair of locking lugs (241) of the partial profiles to be connected. A groove is arranged below the profiles for admission of spring steel.