Split Cam Fastener Device for Drywall Screw Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Improperly installed screws in drywall are difficult to remove, leading to safety hazards and damage during construction, as they become stuck due to lack of anchoring, requiring manual and time-consuming extraction methods.
Innovation Solution
A fastener device with a cam assembly and biasing element that can be mounted to an electrically powered drive tool, allowing for easy installation and removal of screws by utilizing a split cam assembly and elastic ring to securely engage and release the screw head, along with a distal bit and hub design for effective anchoring and extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a screw is driven into drywall without proper anchoring, then the screw can be easily inserted, but the screw becomes difficult to remove and may cause injury or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cam assembly acts as an intermediary tool between the drill and the screw head. It provides a mechanical interface that allows the drill to both drive and extract screws through the same attachment, mediating the interaction between the power tool and the fastener to prevent harmful outcomes from improper installation
Solution Approach 2:
The cam assembly is divided into two functional halves that can separate from each other. When the drill reverses rotation, the cam halves split apart to engage the screw head for extraction. This segmentation allows the same device to perform both installation and removal functions, addressing the harm of improper screws by providing an easy extraction mechanism
2Device complexity
If manual methods are used to remove improperly installed screws, then the process can be performed without specialized tools, but it is time-consuming and may cause injury
Solution Approach 1:
The cam assembly is designed to be attached to and operated by an existing power tool (drill). The drill's own rotational power, when reversed, automatically performs the extraction function. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate manual extraction tools and reduces the time required while maintaining simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The cam assembly transitions from a closed, retaining configuration during screw installation to an open, extracting configuration during removal. The dynamic separation of the cam halves allows the system to adapt its structure based on the operational phase, enabling quick extraction using the drill's reverse rotation without complex manual intervention
3Reliability
If the cam assembly retains the fastener during driving, then the fastener is securely held, but the cam assembly must release the fastener for removal
Solution Approach 1:
The cam assembly operates in periodic cycles: during forward rotation it closes to retain the fastener securely, and during reverse rotation it opens to release the fastener for extraction. This periodic transition between retention and release states allows the system to reliably hold the fastener during installation while easily releasing it for removal using the same tool
Solution Approach 2:
The cam assembly uses reverse rotation of the drill to achieve fastener extraction instead of requiring a separate extraction tool or manual effort. By inverting the rotational direction, the cam halves separate and engage the screw head in opposition to the driving action, providing easy release and extraction while maintaining secure retention during normal operation
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 efficient and safe removal of improperly installed screws from drywall without manual injury, reducing damage and time, by using the drive tool to securely drive and extract screws through the fastener device's cam assembly and bit system.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic ring secured within the cam assembly and exerting a biasing force against the cam assembly in a direction towards the hub
Implementation Method 2
a fastener device with a cam assembly and biasing element that can be mounted to an electrically powered drive tool, allowing for easy installation and removal of screws
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener device is disclosed. The fastener device includes a hub defining a bore, an attachment shank including a proximal stop and distal bit received within the bore, a retainer releasably engagable with a proximal end of the hub and a defining a passageway for a proximal mounting end of the attachment shank, a biasing element engaged with the proximal stop, and a split cam assembly disposed within a distal end of the bore. The split cam assembly is biased toward a closed configuration for engaging and retaining the head of a fastener, and is piovtable upon distal advancement of the attachment shank and distal bit, against the head, to release the head from engagement with the split cam assembly.