Trapezoidal Roofing Clamp with Spring Piece for Thermal Expansion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamps for securing snow-stop devices to metal roofing plates are inefficient in allowing rapid and reliable fixation, accommodating different types of snow-stop means, and do not account for thermal expansion of metal plates, while also being cost-effective, lightweight, and easy to produce and assemble with optimal mechanical strength.
Innovation Solution
A clamp with a trapezoidal clamping jaw design featuring recesses, through-holes, and a spring piece for versatile attachment to metal plates, allowing secure fastening of various snow-stop devices without requiring specialized brackets, and accommodating thermal expansion through a design that reduces material usage and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional clamp design is used, then the structure is simple, but the mechanical strength is insufficient and reliability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is divided into two separate clamping jaws (first clamping jaw 10 and second clamping jaw 20) that can be assembled around the snow-stop device. This segmentation allows each jaw to be optimized for strength while maintaining overall simplicity, and enables the clamp to accommodate different types of snow-stop means without requiring a completely different design for each type.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping jaws incorporate ribs (14) and recesses (11) that create a composite structural pattern within each jaw. These features distribute mechanical loads more effectively across the clamp structure, enhancing overall strength without requiring a uniform increase in material thickness or complexity throughout the entire clamp.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the clamp is designed to accommodate different types of snow-stop means, then versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is designed with universal features including through-holes (12) positioned at specific locations on the clamping jaws that can receive various types of fastening elements. The recesses (11) and ribs (14) configuration provides a universal attachment interface that can accommodate different snow-stop device types (grilles, tubes, etc.) without requiring specialized brackets for each type, thereby achieving multi-functionality with minimal added complexity.
3Reliability
If the clamp allows for thermal expansion of metal plates, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp incorporates a dynamic element in the form of a spring piece (30) that can compress and expand to accommodate thermal expansion of the metal plates. This dynamic component allows the clamp to adapt to dimensional changes in the metal plate without requiring a completely rigid or complex adjustment mechanism, thereby improving reliability while minimizing added complexity.
4Strength
If the clamp uses more material to increase strength, then mechanical strength is improved, but weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping jaws incorporate curved surfaces and rounded features rather than purely angular or flat surfaces. These curved geometries allow for more efficient stress distribution across the clamp structure, enabling achieving the required mechanical strength with reduced material usage. The curved surfaces also facilitate easier machining and assembly while maintaining optimal strength-to-weight ratio.
Data Source
Figure 1a~3b
Figure 4~8
AI summary
Clamp for securing snow-stop means to metal plates of roofing, comprising a first clamping jaw (10) with a larger base (10a) and a smaller base (10b) and a second clamping jaw (20) with a base (20a), said bases extending in a longitudinal direction (X-X), said first clamping jaw (10) having recesses (11) extending towards the inside of said first clamping jaw and aligned with each other and situated opposite each other in a vertical direction (Z-Z) perpendicular to the direction of said bases (10a,10b); said recesses (11) have a respective side (11a, 11b) corresponding to the associated base (10a,10b), which is open outwards, and inner side (11c) with a semicircular shape, and the first clamping jaw (10) and the second clamping jaw (20) have at least two respective openings (13,23) in symmetrically opposite positions relative to the respective seat (11,21) of the larger base (10a,20a) and suitable for receiving a bolt (24a) which can be joined to a nut (24b) for clamping together the two clamping jaws (10,20).