Ship Panel Fixture Layout for Closely Spaced Start Switches
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing panel attachment fixtures for ship operation panels with multiple engine start switches face challenges in manufacturing complexity and cost due to the need for customized fixture bodies, and interference issues arise when using separate fixtures for each component, making efficient arrangement difficult.
Innovation Solution
A panel attachment fixture with a common fixture body that can be attached in either a single or parallel configuration using different attachment members, allowing for efficient arrangement of one or two electrical components on a panel without interference, by employing distinct member fitting portions and attachment nuts for each configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixture body with a flange section integrated with all electrical components is manufactured, then all electrical components can be disposed on the attachment-receiving panel, but manufacturing cost increases and inventory control becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture body is divided into a flange section and a body section that can be separately manufactured and then integrated. This segmentation allows the flange section to be standardized while the body section can be customized based on the number of electrical components, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and simplifying inventory control.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange section is designed as a universal component that can be used for different fixture configurations. By standardizing the flange section, the same component can serve multiple purposes across different fixture types, reducing the need for customized fixtures and lowering manufacturing costs.
2Ease of manufacture
If two electrical components are respectively attached to the attachment-receiving panel with individual panel attachment fixtures, then the fixture bodies can be standardized, but interference between attachment members occurs and the distance between fixtures cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent fixture bodies are merged by sharing a common attachment nut on the panel rear side. This merging eliminates the need for separate attachment members for each fixture, removes interference between attachment members, and allows the fixture bodies to be positioned closer together.
Solution Approach 2:
A single attachment nut serves multiple functions by being shared between adjacent fixture bodies. This universal attachment member simultaneously secures both fixtures to the panel, simplifying the attachment mechanism and reducing the overall complexity of the system.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single fixture body is used for both single and parallel configurations, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the fixture must accommodate different attachment states
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture body is designed with dynamic adaptability, allowing it to function in different configurations (single or parallel) through the same basic structure. The body section can accommodate different attachment scenarios by working with either a single attachment member or shared attachment members, providing flexibility without requiring multiple fixture types.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixture body is designed as a universal component that can operate in multiple attachment states. The same fixture body design serves both single-fixture and dual-fixture configurations, eliminating the need for different fixture types and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a technology pertaining to a panel attachment fixture wherein a single or a pair of electrical components can be efficiently arranged on an attachment-receiving panel by use of a common fixture body, said panel attachment fixture has predetermined electric components such as switches disposed on the front surface of a flange section thereof and can be attached to the attachment-receiving panel in a state in which a body section protruding rearward from the back surface of the flange section is inserted in an attachment opening of the attachment-receiving panel. The body section has on the periphery thereof: a first member fitting part to which a single first attachment member serving as an attachment member is fitted in an independent-attachment state for independently attaching a single fixture body to the attachment-receiving panel; and a second member fitting part to which a single second attachment member serving as an attachment member is fitted in a parallel-attachment state for attaching one pair of fixture bodies to the attachment-receiving panel, with the fixture bodies being arranged parallel to each other along a first direction in an in-plane direction of the attachment-receiving panel.