Rear Interlock Connectors for Adjustable Building Block Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current outdoor landscaping wall systems require blocks to be interlocked as they are being stacked, which can be inconvenient and may not allow for precise alignment or adjustment of the blocks' positions.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of rear interlock connectors that can be inserted into horizontal grooves on the rear surfaces of building blocks, allowing for the blocks to be interlocked after stacking and enabling adjustable positioning, including offsetting and pivoting to form various angles and structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If blocks are interlocked as they are being stacked, then structural stability is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in alignment and adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking function is segmented from the stacking process. Blocks can be stacked independently without interlocking mechanisms engaged, and interlocking is applied separately through rear connectors inserted into grooves after stacking is complete. This separates the stacking operation from the interlocking operation, allowing each to be optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Blocks are stacked in their final positions first, allowing for precise alignment and adjustment before the interlocking action is applied. The rear interlock connectors are inserted into grooves after the blocks are already in place, enabling preliminary positioning without the constraint of simultaneous interlocking.
2Ease of operation
If rear interlock connectors are used to enable adjustable positioning, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity worsens due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanism is extracted from the block itself and placed in separate rear connector components. The blocks only require simple grooves cut into them, while the complex pivoting and locking mechanisms are contained within the removable rear connectors, which can be handled and adjusted independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear interlock connectors incorporate pivoting joints that allow dynamic adjustment of block positions. The connectors can pivot to accommodate different angles and offsets, enabling adjustable positioning while maintaining a relatively simple basic structure that can adapt to multiple configurations.
3Ease of operation
If blocks are stacked without precise alignment during stacking, then ease of operation improves, but manufacturing precision deteriorates in the final wall structure
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment function is segmented from the stacking process and transferred to the rear interlock connectors. Connectors include positioning features such as offset adjustments and pivoting mechanisms that ensure precise alignment is achieved during the interlocking phase rather than during stacking, allowing blocks to be placed more casually initially.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear interlock connectors incorporate self-aligning features including grooves that guide connector insertion and positioning elements that automatically ensure proper alignment. The connectors themselves perform the alignment function through their design, eliminating the need for precise manual alignment during stacking.
Data Source
AI summary
An interlock connector interlocks building blocks that are assembled so as to provide a wall structure. The building blocks have respective front surfaces for defining a front façade of the wall structure and respective rear surfaces with at least one respective horizontal groove. The interlock connector comprises first and second bodies. The first body is inserted in the rear surface horizontal groove of a first building block. The second body is inserted in the rear surface horizontal groove of a second building block adjacent the first building block. Insertion of the first and second bodies in the respective rear surface horizontal grooves of the first and second building blocks provides for interlocking the first and second building blocks.