Spiral Fastening Device with Plastic Casing and Pressed Discs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spiral fastening devices for furniture panels made entirely of metal are heavy, difficult to manufacture, and costly due to the need for different thicknesses of discs and robust connecting mechanisms to absorb transverse forces, leading to increased material and transport costs.
Innovation Solution
A spiral fastening device using a plastic casing with pressed discs of reduced thickness, where the plastic casing absorbs transverse forces and provides positional offsetting, reducing material usage and weight, and incorporating features like robust offsetting ribs, diametric ribs, and a transverse indicator window for improved assembly and centring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the device is manufactured entirely from metal to meet strength requirements, then the strength and durability are improved, but the weight increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines metal pressed discs with a plastic casing to create a composite fastening device. The metal discs provide the necessary strength for pulling and bearing forces, while the plastic casing provides structural support and reduces overall weight. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by distributing functional requirements across different materials with complementary properties.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the device use different materials optimized for their specific functions: metal pressed discs for high-strength pulling operations, plastic casing for structural support and force absorption. This local differentiation of material quality allows weight reduction in non-critical areas while maintaining strength where required.
2Manufacturing precision
If the discs have different thicknesses to achieve centring and operational needs, then the positional accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic casing acts as an intermediary element that provides the necessary centring and positional offsetting functions previously requiring different disc thicknesses. By introducing this intermediate component, the pressed discs can be manufactured with uniform thickness, simplifying production while the casing ensures proper positioning through its internal geometry and offsetting ribs.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into distinct functional components: uniform-thickness pressed discs for pulling operations and a separate plastic casing for centring and structural support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with discs focused on strength and the casing on positioning, reducing manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If the connecting arbor is made extremely robust to absorb transverse forces, then the reliability is improved, but the weight and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic casing serves as a mediator that absorbs and distributes transverse forces through its structural design, including reinforcing ribs and geometric features. This protects the connecting arbor from excessive lateral loads, allowing the arbor itself to be lighter while maintaining overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic casing is designed with inherent structural features that cushion and absorb transverse forces before they reach the connecting arbor. This preemptive force absorption protects the arbor from peak loads, enabling weight reduction while preserving reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 6~10
AI summary
Spiral fastening device for furniture panels of the type that use in one of the panels a bolt (11) with one or more annular heads (13) and a spiral pulling member (1) seated in the other panel, wherein the spiral pulling member (1) comprises a plastic casing (2) that encloses and positions within its interior pressed discs (3 and 4) with respective clockwise (3a) and anti-clockwise (4a) spirals (when viewed from their opposed inner faces), said pressed discs (3 and 4) being opposed and joined together by a polygonal connecting arbor (5).