Sanitary Object Fastening Assembly With Guided Adapter Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fastening devices for ceramic sanitary objects, such as toilet bowls, often experience incorrect assembly due to misalignment of the adapter element, leading to inadequate support and potential damage from overtightening the grub screw.

Innovation Solution

A fastening device with a base body and adapter element designed to allow insertion within a limited range of rotation, featuring a receiving channel with a non-circular cross-section and a holding element that centers the adapter element, ensuring precise alignment and preventing misassembly, while a latching element secures the sanitary object during assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the adapter element is screwed onto the threaded rod without orientation guidance, then the pre-assembly can be completed, but the adapter element may be misaligned causing the grub screw to fail to engage properly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of pre-assemblyVSAvoidreliability of grub screw engagement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter element is designed with an asymmetric cross-section that does not match the circular receiving channel of the base body. This asymmetric geometry allows the adapter element to be inserted only in the correct rotational orientation, ensuring that the engagement opening aligns with the grub screw. The asymmetric design eliminates the risk of misalignment while maintaining ease of assembly through clear tactile feedback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Adaptability or versatility

If the adapter element is inserted with unlimited rotation range, then assembly flexibility is maintained, but incorrect alignment prevents adequate support and may damage the threaded hole

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoiddamage from overtightening
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetric cross-section design converts the potential harm of incorrect assembly into a beneficial alignment mechanism. When the adapter element is inserted, the asymmetric geometry provides tactile feedback that guides the assembler to the correct orientation. This transforms what could be a damaging misalignment into a positive alignment assurance, preventing overtightening damage while maintaining assembly flexibility within the designed rotation range.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Stability of the object's composition

If a latching element is added to secure the sanitary object, then assembly stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of assemblyVSAvoidcomplexity of fastening device
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The latching element is integrated into the base body structure, with the retaining section forming part of the receiving channel geometry. This nested design allows the latching mechanism to be incorporated without adding separate components, thereby improving assembly stability while minimizing the increase in device complexity. The latching element works in conjunction with the asymmetric cross-section to provide both alignment and securing functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3033979B1Fastening device for fastening a sanitary object
Publication Date: 2018.04.11 FISCHERWERKE ARTUR FISCHER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3033979B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3033979B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3033979B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a fastening device (1) for fastening a ceramic sanitary object (2) with a base body (5) which has a receiving channel (19) extending along a longitudinal axis (L), and with a rod-shaped adapter element (4) for screwing on a threaded rod (7), the adapter element (4) being insertable into the receiving channel (19), and having a holding element (20) for positively holding the adapter element (4) in the receiving channel (19). In order to make assembly easier and safer in that the adapter element (4) does not have to be precisely aligned, the invention proposes that the fastening device (1) have a projection (34) on the base body (5) and a recess (36) on the Has adapter element (4), so that the adapter element (4) can be inserted only within a limited range of rotation (D) and is automatically centered during assembly.