Screw Hole Notch Guide for Recessed Fastening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional screw holes that are recessed or not easily accessible cause difficulties in screw placement and insertion, leading to increased assembly time and potential issues with parts becoming irreversibly fixed.

Innovation Solution

A through screw hole with a counterbore surface featuring a notch with an inclined slope, serving as a guide for screw insertion, allowing for faster and more accurate positioning of screws, even when the hole is not visible or easily accessible.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the screw hole is recessed or not easily accessible, then the structural integrity and design flexibility are improved, but the ease of screw placement and assembly time are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidease of screw placement
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The notch is pre-formed in the counterbore surface to create a guide structure that directs the screw into the hole during assembly. This preliminary structural feature eliminates the need for manual alignment efforts, allowing operators to simply drop screws into the notched opening where they are automatically guided to the correct position and orientation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The notch acts as an intermediary element between the operator and the recessed screw hole. It provides a visible and accessible entry point that mediates the transition from the external environment to the hidden recessed hole, facilitating easy screw insertion without requiring direct access to the hole itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the screw hole is recessed or not easily accessible, then the structural integrity and design flexibility are improved, but the assembly time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The notch is pre-formed in the counterbore surface to create a guide structure that directs the screw into the hole during assembly. This preliminary structural feature eliminates the need for manual alignment efforts, allowing operators to simply drop screws into the notched opening where they are automatically guided to the correct position and orientation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The notched counterbore structure is self-guiding, automatically directing the screw into the correct position without requiring operator intervention for alignment. The geometry of the notch itself performs the guiding function, making the assembly process self-service and eliminating time-consuming manual positioning steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Strength

If the screw hole is recessed, then the structural integrity is improved, but the removability of the part is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidremovability of the part
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of making the hole more hidden or complex to maintain structural integrity, the invention inverts the approach by creating a prominent notch feature that actually facilitates access and removal. The same recessed structure that provides strength is given a contrasting visual and physical feature (the notch) that aids in easy screw insertion and extraction for repair purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2134975B1Member defining a screwing through hole
Publication Date: 2010.12.22 RENAULT SA
  • EP2134975B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2134975B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2134975B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a member defining a screwing through hole capable of receiving a screw comprising a first end with a corresponding spot facing surface coaxial with said hole and a second protruding end, characterised in that said spot facing surface comprises a slot extending in the screw insertion direction, said slot having an inclined slope such that the slope rises from the first end of the screwing hole in order to provide a guide when positioning the screw into said hole.