Reactor Plate Assembly with Brush Anvil for Fastener Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plastic fastener dispensing devices with reactor plates having a single widened slot inadequately support articles, leading to damage and ineffective fastening due to pressure exerted by needles, which can cause distortion, tearing, and increased stress on the fastener filament, resulting in breakage and oversized holes.
Innovation Solution
A reactor plate assembly with elliptical needle-receiving holes and a brush anvil providing a seamless, planar support surface, featuring bristle clusters that project into the holes to prevent material push-in and allow needle penetration, ensuring adequate support and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single widened slot is used in the reactor plate, then the structure is simple, but the article support is inadequate causing damage and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The single widened slot is segmented into multiple separate slots (first slot and second slot) positioned at different locations on the reactor plate. This segmentation distributes the support function across multiple points, preventing material push-in and distortion while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
A brush assembly is introduced as an intermediary element between the reactor plate and the article. The brush assembly includes bristles that extend into the slots to provide additional support and prevent material from being pushed into the slots during needle penetration, thereby preventing distortion and tearing.
2Ease of operation
If needles apply pressure to penetrate articles, then fastening is achieved, but material distortion and tearing occur
Solution Approach 1:
The brush assembly with bristles extending into the slots provides beforehand cushioning support. The bristles cushion the material against the needles during penetration, preventing excessive pressure concentration that would cause distortion and tearing, while still allowing the needles to penetrate sufficiently for fastening.
3Reliability
If a brush assembly is added to provide support, then article support improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brush assembly is merged with the reactor plate structure, where the bristles are integrated into the slots of the reactor plate. This merging combines the support function of the brush with the structural function of the reactor plate, providing enhanced article support while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A reactor plate assembly for a fastener dispensing device includes a metal reactor plate mounted onto the distal end of a fixed support arm for the device, the reactor plate including a flattened top surface shaped to define a pair of elliptical, needle-receiving holes. The reactor plate assembly additionally includes a brush anvil removably secured to the underside of the support arm. The brush anvil includes four separate bristle clusters that are retained within associated bores in a block, with a first pair of bristle clusters projecting into one needle-receiving hole and a second pair of bristle clusters projecting into the other needle-receiving hole. Each bristle cluster includes a group of individual nylon bristles, the free ends of the bristles lying flush with the top surface of the reactor plate to provide a planar support surface which can be penetrated by the needles of the device during the dispensing process.