Snap Locking Coupling System for Angular Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional joining methods for metallic or non-metallic coupling members require specialized tools, qualified manpower, and often involve welding or adhesives, which are time-consuming and complex, especially when assembling components at diverse angles or in large, difficult-to-transport structures.
Innovation Solution
A snap coupling system where a tubular male coupling member with retention tabs is temporarily flexed to engage with guides or receiving cavities of a female coupling member, allowing for rapid and secure joining without the need for welding, adhesives, or additional tools, enabling assembly at diverse angles and efficient packing and transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welding or thermal joining methods are used to join coupling members, then the joint strength and permanence is improved, but the complexity of equipment and tools required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal joining methods (welding, fusion) with a mechanical snap coupling system. The coupling members feature retention tabs that flex temporarily to enter guides or receiving cavities, then snap into place to form a permanent mechanical joint. This eliminates the need for welding equipment, power sources, and thermal processing while achieving equivalent joint strength through elastic deformation and mechanical interlocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the material properties of the coupling members, specifically the elastic properties of the retention tabs. The tabs are designed to temporarily change their physical state from rigid to flexible during insertion, then return to their original rigid state upon engagement, enabling the snap-in mechanism without requiring external energy sources or complex equipment.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If welding or fusion methods are used to join coupling members, then permanent joining is achieved, but the time required for joining increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming thermal processes with an instantaneous mechanical action. The snap coupling mechanism allows two coupling members to be joined in a single rapid motion as the retention tabs flex and snap into the guides, eliminating the heating, melting, and cooling cycles required by welding or fusion methods while achieving permanent joining through mechanical interlocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention tabs are pre-designed with specific elastic properties and geometric configurations that enable them to automatically flex and engage with the guides during the coupling process. This preliminary design of the tab geometry and material properties allows the joining action to occur spontaneously and rapidly when the coupling members are brought together, without requiring external energy input or extended processing time.
3Strength
If conventional joining methods are used for large structures, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the transportation and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides large structures into separate coupling members that can be manufactured, transported, and stored independently. Each member features snap coupling mechanisms that allow rapid assembly on-site through simple manual or automated insertion actions, eliminating the need to transport and assemble large pre-welded structures while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed network of snap joints throughout the structure.
4Strength
If retention tabs are made rigid to ensure structural strength, then the joint strength is improved, but the ability to flex and engage with guides is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the material properties of the retention tabs, specifically their elastic properties. The tabs are designed with controlled elasticity that allows them to temporarily deform under insertion force, flex into the guides or receiving cavities, and then return to their original rigid state upon engagement. This dynamic parameter change enables both the flexibility needed for engagement and the strength needed for structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention tabs are designed as dynamic elements that change their mechanical properties during the coupling process. During insertion, the tabs exhibit flexible, compliant behavior to accommodate the guides. Once engaged, they transition to a rigid, load-bearing state that provides structural strength. This dynamic behavior is achieved through careful selection of material properties and geometric design that enable elastic deformation within acceptable limits.
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 rapid, tool-free, and precise joining of metallic or non-metallic coupling members at various angles, reducing the need for specialized manpower and equipment, while allowing for efficient assembly and transportation of complex structures, thus saving time and improving design flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
a tubular male coupling member having one or more retention tabs which are temporarily flexed to enter into guides or receiving cavities of another female coupling member
Data Source
AI summary
A snap coupling system for pieces or metallic or non metallic coupling members, that require to be attached perpendicularly in a “T” fashion, in a cross “+” fashion or angularly, by which a tubular male coupling member having one or more retention tabs that are temporally flexed, enters in slots or receiving apertures of another piece or female coupling member, tubular or planar, where they engage, by which they can be readily attached two tubular members or one tubular member and one planar member, in a perpendicular way, in a cross fashion or angularly, without the necessity of using skilled labor.