Self-Threaded End Plug for Extruded Floor Slat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing moving floor conveyor systems require skilled labor for attaching end plugs to floor slats, as traditional methods like bolting or welding are labor-intensive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A self-threading end cap design featuring a plastic body portion with partial bores that accommodate screws, allowing for easy attachment to aluminum extruded slats by threading into both the end plug and slat materials simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional bolting or welding methods are used to attach end plugs to floor slats, then secure attachment is achieved, but skilled labor is required and the process becomes labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The end plug incorporates self-tapping threads that automatically create threaded holes in the floor slat during insertion. The screw threads form both the male and female threading simultaneously, eliminating the need for pre-drilled holes, separate threading operations, or specialized fastening tools. This self-service mechanism allows unskilled workers to easily attach end plugs while maintaining secure attachment.
2Ease of manufacture
If self-threading end plugs are used, then ease of manufacture is improved and skilled labor is reduced, but the attachment mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the end plug body and the fastening mechanism into a single integrated component. The self-tapping screw threads are formed as an integral part of the end plug, combining the sealing function and the fastening function in one piece. This integration eliminates separate fasteners, pre-drilling operations, and complex assembly steps, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite the sophisticated threading mechanism.
3Reliability
If multiple screws are used to secure the end cap, then attachment reliability is improved, but the number of components and assembly steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The self-tapping screw mechanism is segmented into multiple threading zones along its length, allowing it to engage with the floor slat at multiple points simultaneously. The screw creates a series of interlocking threads distributed along its engagement length, providing multi-point fixation that enhances attachment reliability without requiring multiple separate screws or fasteners.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates a simpler and less labor-intensive method for securing end plugs, reducing the need for skilled labor and enhancing manufacturing efficiency while maintaining secure attachment.
Implementation Method 1
The body portion of the end plug has at least one partial bore that abuts against the above-described inner surface of the floor slat. The partial bore is sized such that an elongated screw can be partially threaded into the material that makes up the bore and partially into the material that makes up the inner surface of the floor slat at the same time, to hold the end plug in place with respect to the floor slat.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to end caps for extruded floor slats that are built into moving floor conveyor systems. The end cap has a portion that is inserted in the hollow end of an extrusion and is held in place by self-threading screws that thread directly into the material making up the end cap and the floor slat at the same time.