Sheet Material Connector Resilient Force Flatness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Joining adjacent sections of sheet material like drywall or plywood in construction and repair is challenging due to lack of support, leading to unevenness and increased labor to smooth out the surface, often resulting in material waste.
Innovation Solution
A sheet material connector with an elongated body featuring parallel walls interconnected by a perpendicular connecting wall, where the second wall is curved and wider, creating channels that apply a resilient force to the sheet material, allowing for secure joining without support studs and minimizing bulges or depressions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sheet material sections are joined without support studs, then installation flexibility and productivity improve, but the joined sections become uneven with bulges or depressions
Solution Approach 1:
The connector serves as an intermediary component between the sheet material sections and the support structure. It provides a stable mounting surface that mediates the connection, allowing the sheets to be joined evenly without requiring direct stud support at every joint location. The connector's flat mounting surface acts as a mediator that distributes loads and maintains surface flatness.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector changes the structural parameters by providing a rigid mounting surface with specific geometric features (flat surface, channel dimensions) that maintain surface flatness. The connector's design parameters (width, channel size, mounting hole positions) are optimized to prevent bulges and depressions while enabling flexible installation locations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sheet material sections are joined at locations not overlapping support studs, then installation flexibility improves, but proper support is lacking causing unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The connector acts as an intermediary that provides adequate support at locations where studs are not present. It transfers loads from the sheet material joint to the connector body, which is then secured to the nearest available support structure. This intermediary support mechanism enables reliable joints at flexible locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector extends the support function into a new dimensional space by providing a distributed support surface rather than relying on point support from studs. The connector's mounting surface distributes loads across multiple attachment points, creating reliability in a different structural dimension.
3Manufacturing precision
If additional labor is applied to smooth out uneven walls using spreadable overlay material or cutting sections, then surface flatness improves, but labor time and material waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector provides preliminary action by pre-establishing a flat mounting surface before the sheet material is installed. This preliminary flat surface prevents the need for subsequent corrective actions like applying overlay material or cutting sections, thereby saving labor time and reducing material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector converts the potential harm of uneven joints into a benefit by providing a built-in mechanism that ensures flatness. The connector's rigid mounting surface and precise geometry transform what would be a problematic condition (joint unevenness) into an advantage (pre-flattened surface requiring no additional finishing work).
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
Enables smooth, contiguous joining of sheet material sections without support studs, reducing material waste and labor, while maintaining a flat, even surface finish.
Implementation Method 1
the curved surface of the second wall is configured to apply a resilient force to the portion of the sheet material body disposed within the pair of channels
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for joining sections of sheet material (e.g., drywall) are provided. The sheet material joining apparatus or connector comprises an elongated body having two channels disposed such that the ends of two sections of sheet material may be secured therein. The channels are defined by front and back walls interconnected via an internal rib. The front wall is configured to be disposed on the exposed side of the sheet material and the back wall is configured to be disposed on the back or hidden side of the sheet material, while the back wall takes the form of a convex arced surface. The convex arced surface is configured to be engaged by one or more securing elements (e.g., screw), and during such engagement to exert a resilient force onto the adjoining sections of sheet material to draw them inward toward the back wall of the connector.