Telescopic Gripper Tool for Infinitesimal Joist Width Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carpentry tools for installing or repairing parallel boards, such as tongue-and-groove flooring, often require two carpenters and are complex, expensive, and lack the ability to adjust to different joist or stud sizes, making them difficult to use efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A one-handed carpentry tool with a rotatable cam and adjustable gripper body featuring a two-piece or three-piece telescopic section with a threaded adjusting rod, allowing for infinitesimal adjustment to fit various joist widths, and interchangeable cam and gripper positions for pushing or pulling boards into place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional flooring installation methods are used with fixed gripper width, then the tool can grip joists of a specific width, but it cannot accommodate different joist widths or stud sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper body incorporates a telescopic mechanism with adjustable segments that allow the distance between gripping surfaces to be dynamically changed. This enables the tool to adapt to different joist widths and stud sizes by extending or retracting the gripper segments to match the required dimension.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper body is divided into multiple telescopic segments that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows flexible configuration of the gripper width to match various joist and stud dimensions while maintaining structural integrity through the segmented design.
2Productivity
If traditional flooring installation methods are used requiring two carpenters, then the boards can be properly positioned and fastened, but the installation process is time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The tool combines multiple functions into a single device: the cam mechanism for pushing boards together, the gripper body for securing joists or studs, and the adjustable telescopic sections for accommodating different dimensions. This integration allows one carpenter to perform tasks that traditionally required two workers.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool is designed with universal applicability to handle various flooring installation scenarios. The interchangeable cam and gripper positions, along with the adjustable gripper width, enable the same tool to perform multiple functions across different installation contexts, eliminating the need for specialized tools or additional workers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If existing carpentry tools are used without adjustment mechanisms, then the tool structure remains simple, but it cannot fit various joist widths or stud sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic gripper mechanism incorporates adjustable segments that can be configured to different widths. The adjustment mechanism allows the gripper to dynamically adapt to various joist and stud dimensions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that does not require complex manufacturing processes.
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 one-handed operation for installing parallel boards on different sized joists or studs, reducing complexity and cost while providing versatility and ease of use, accommodating various board angles and sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded adjusting rod, allowing for infinitesimal adjustment to fit various joist widths
Implementation Method 2
an elongated lever having a rotatable cam pivotally affixed adjacent to a distal end of the lever for pushing the parallel boards
Data Source
AI summary
A carpentry tool for the installation of parallel boards includes an elongated lever having a rotatable cam pivotally affixed adjacent to a distal end of the lever, a gripper body pivotally affixed at a distal end of the lever, the gripper body having two lugs or brackets extending downward from the lower end of the gripper body, wherein the gripper body includes a multi-piece telescopic section having outer and inner tubing members in slidable engagement, the one tubing member including a first lug or bracket on a lower face thereof, another tubing member including a second lug or bracket on a lower face thereof, opposing the first bracket, and a spindle extending from an upper face of the gripper body, and a mechanism for reversibly adjusting the sliding tubing members at predetermined points.