System and method for joining and hanging ducts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assembling and hanging duct sections using inserted corner plates are inefficient, labor-intensive, and prone to misalignment, leakage, and safety hazards due to the use of drift pins, adhesive gaskets, and conventional fastening systems, which complicate the incorporation of hangers and require extensive labor and inventory management.
Innovation Solution
The use of large sheet metal screws that can be threadedly engaged through opposing inserted corner plates to align and securely assemble duct sections, allowing for initial alignment without adhesion and providing a robust self-holding mechanism to guide the assembly, while also enabling easy incorporation of hangers and reducing the need for additional fasteners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If drift pins are used for aligning duct sections, then alignment is facilitated, but the tapered shape and gasket presence prevent final close alignment and hold sections apart
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the drift pin alignment function entirely by using large sheet metal screws with unthreaded shanks that directly align and hold duct sections. The screw's broad flat surface replaces the drift pin's tapered alignment capability while eliminating the inability to achieve final close alignment, as the screw can be threaded fully to draw sections together.
Solution Approach 2:
The large sheet metal screw performs multiple functions: alignment (through its broad flat surface), spacing control (through adjustable unthreaded shank length), and final fastening (through threading). This multi-functional component replaces the separate drift pin and gasket system, eliminating the contradiction between alignment facilitation and final close alignment capability.
2Reliability
If adhesive gaskets are used to seal duct sections, then sealing is achieved, but misalignment causes difficult detachment and ruin of the gasket
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the adhesive gasket after the large sheet metal screws have already established precise alignment and spacing between duct sections. This preliminary alignment action ensures that when the gasket is applied, the sections are correctly positioned, preventing misalignment-related detachment problems and allowing easy removal if needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The large sheet metal screw acts as an intermediary that establishes the correct spatial relationship between duct sections before the gasket is applied. This mediator ensures proper alignment and spacing, allowing the gasket to function effectively as a seal without being compromised by misalignment issues.
3Strength
If conventional fastening systems with multiple components are used, then duct sections are secured, but labor intensity and inventory management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines alignment, spacing control, and fastening functions into a single large sheet metal screw component. This merging eliminates the need for separate drift pins, spacers, and multiple fasteners, significantly reducing labor intensity and inventory management complexity while maintaining strong connections between duct sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The large sheet metal screw serves as a universal component that performs alignment, spacing maintenance, and fastening in one element. This multi-functionality replaces complex multi-component systems, improving productivity by reducing the number of parts to manage and assemble while ensuring strong, reliable connections.
4Ease of manufacture
If inserted corner plates are used for duct assembly, then modular assembly is enabled, but the incorporation of hangers becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The large sheet metal screw provides a universal mounting interface that works with the inserted corner plate system. Hangers can be attached to the screws or corner plates using the same threading mechanism, simplifying hanger integration while preserving the modular assembly benefits of the corner plate system.
Data Source
AI summary
A fastening member for joining together adjacent duct sections includes a head and a shank extending from the head, the shank having an unthreaded space adjacent to the head and a threaded portion extending from the unthreaded space, the threaded portion threadedly engaging a hole of an inserted corner plate positioned in flange of a first duct section. When the fastening member is fully inserted, the inserted corner plate positioned in the flange of the first duct section is retained within the unthreaded space.