Spring-Biased Fastening Unit Anchoring Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening units for profile elements with longitudinal slots lack a reliable mechanism to securely engage the anchoring element with the flanges, leading to potential disengagement and instability in the fastening process.
Innovation Solution
A fastening unit incorporating a support element with spring elements and connecting legs that bias the anchoring element to engage securely with the flanges, utilizing spring force to maintain the anchoring element's position against the flanges, ensuring a preassembly state and preventing disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the anchoring element is introduced into the longitudinal slot and turned to engage behind the flanges, then the fastening unit achieves secure engagement with the profile element, but the anchoring element may become disengaged or unstable without a retaining mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting legs are formed integrally with the body of the support element, creating a nested structure where the legs extend through recesses in the anchoring element. The retaining lugs at the distal ends of the connecting legs engage with corresponding features in the anchoring element, forming a nested configuration that prevents disengagement while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements are pre-loaded to exert a biasing force on the anchoring element before any load is applied. This preliminary action ensures that the anchoring element is constantly pressed against the flanges, maintaining engagement stability without requiring additional active control mechanisms.
2Reliability
If spring elements are added to bias the anchoring element against the flanges, then engagement reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring elements are integrated into the support element structure, with the connecting legs serving dual functions as both structural connectors and spring carriers. The spring elements are positioned within the body of the support element, merging the fastening and spring-loading functions into a single unified component rather than separate assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements provide dynamic parameter adjustment by automatically adapting their compression force to the engagement conditions. As the anchoring element is inserted and engaged, the springs compress to provide the appropriate biasing force, changing their physical state from uncompressed to compressed to maintain optimal engagement pressure.
3Reliability
If the connecting legs extend through the anchoring element with retaining lugs, then the anchoring element is prevented from disengaging, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support element is segmented into distinct functional zones: the body containing the spring elements, the connecting legs extending through the anchoring element, and the retaining lugs at the distal ends. This segmentation allows each feature to be optimized independently while maintaining overall structural integrity and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting legs serve multiple functions simultaneously: they connect the support element body to the anchoring element, provide structural support, carry the spring elements, and feature retaining lugs for prevention of disengagement. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of separate components needed, simplifying manufacturing and assembly.
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
The fastening unit effectively secures the anchoring element to the profile element by utilizing spring force to clamp it against the flanges, providing stability and preventing disengagement, thus ensuring a reliable and secure fastening mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
the one or more spring elements act to push the anchoring element from the underside away from the retaining lugs so as to bias the upper side of the anchoring element against the stop surface of the support element
Implementation Method 2
the anchoring element with its longitudinal axis can be aligned with the longitudinal slot, introduced into the profile element and then turned in order to extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal slot and with its upper side to engage behind the flanges of the profile element
Data Source
AI summary
A fastening unit (1,101) for fastening an object to a profile element (80) with a longitudinal slot (85). The profile element having an upper side formed by a flanges which define between them the longitudinal slot. The fastening unit includes an oblong metal anchoring element (2) for engaging behind the flanges, a washer element (4) for engaging the upper side of the flanges and a support element. The support element (3) is connected to the anchoring element and associated with the washer element. The connection between the support element and the anchoring element includes two or more connecting legs (36) which are formed integrally with a body of the support element and extend each through an associated recess in the anchoring element. The connecting legs at their distal ends have a retaining lug (37) for preventing that the anchoring element can be released from the distal ends of the connecting legs. The support element comprises one or more spring elements (36) associated with the connecting legs and a stop surface (31a) for engagement with the upper side of the anchoring element. The one or more spring elements act to push the anchoring element from the underside away from the retaining lugs so as to bias the upper side of the anchoring element against the stop surface of the support element.