Table Leg Connection Using Locking Bracket and Pin Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of tables is often frustrated by incomplete or indecipherable instructions, lack of necessary tools, and design flaws leading to unstable and short-lived connections between table legs and stands, particularly due to the need for multiple tools and contorted handling during assembly.
Innovation Solution
A novel table leg connection system featuring a stand with grooved interior walls for engaging a locking bracket with prongs, a pin, and a fastening arm secured by a screw, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly without loss of structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional bolt and nut connection is used to attach the leg to the stand, then the assembly is simple, but the connection is unstable and prone to early failure
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into distinct functional components: a pin inserted through the stand, a locking bracket with engagement arms that secure the pin, and a separate fastening mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, creating a more reliable connection than a simple bolt-nut assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin is inserted through the stand before the locking bracket is engaged. This preliminary action positions the pin in place, allowing the locking bracket to then secure it firmly. The sequence of operations ensures proper alignment and establishes a stable connection foundation before final tightening.
2Reliability
If a spacer is used to improve durability of the connection, then the connection stability improves, but the assembly complexity and tool requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The locking bracket combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides spacing between the leg and stand, engages the pin through its arms, and offers a surface for the fastening mechanism to tighten against. This merging eliminates the need for separate spacers and simplifies the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking bracket's design allows it to self-position and self-secure during assembly. The engagement arms automatically align with and grip the pin, while the bracket's structure provides its own tightening surface, reducing the need for external tools and complex assembly procedures.
3Strength
If multiple wrenches are used to torque the bolt and nut, then the connection is secured, but the assembly process becomes cumbersome requiring contorted hands in tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening function is extracted from a traditional bolt-nut-wrench system and reimagined using a cam lever mechanism. This extraction allows the connection to be secured with a simple leveraging motion rather than requiring multiple wrenches and contorted hand positions in tight spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam lever mechanism provides dynamic mechanical advantage, allowing a small input force to generate large securing force on the pin. The lever's motion transforms a simple pushing or pulling action into effective tightening, eliminating the need for complex wrench operations in confined spaces.
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
This solution simplifies the assembly process, enhances stability and durability of the table leg connection, reduces the need for multiple tools, and allows for quick reconfiguration without compromising the structural strength of the assembly.
Implementation Method 1
pushing the locking bracket upward toward the pin until the prongs are frictionally engaged by the pin
Data Source
AI summary
A novel table leg connection and method of assembly are disclosed. The connection may comprise a stand having a hole, a leg including a pin extending away from one end of the leg wherein the pin is configured to fit within the stand hole, and a locking bracket having prongs configured to engage the pin, wherein the stand has an interior wall having grooves configured to engage the locking bracket. The locking bracket may include a fastening arm disposed opposite the prongs and extending substantially orthogonally away from the locking bracket. The pin may have a slot configured to engage the prongs of the locking bracket. The method of assembly may comprise inserting a pin of a leg into a hole of a stand, sliding a locking bracket having prongs through grooves formed in the interior wall of the stand, and pushing the locking bracket toward the pin until the prongs are frictionally engaged by the pin. The disclosed inventions advantageously permit a user-friendly connection between the legs and the stand of the table that promotes easy assembly. The disclosed inventions also allow for an efficient means of connecting a leg to a table stand to form a stable attachment that is sturdy and long lasting.