Tension Bracket with Interlocking Base Sections and Guide Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional brackets for connecting secondary structures to main structures, such as decks to joists, face challenges in providing a rigid and high-integrity fastening system that efficiently transfers tension loads to shear loads, often resulting in instability and potential splitting of wood components.
Innovation Solution
The development of a bracket with a mounting base and guide member featuring complementary edges and profile sections to accommodate elongated fasteners, along with reinforcement ribs and chamfers, which securely anchors to wood components and distributes tension forces effectively, preventing stripping and buckling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional brackets are used to connect secondary structures to main structures, then the bracket structure provides rigid fastening, but the wood components experience splitting and instability due to poor load distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting base is divided into two separate base sections (first and second base sections) with complementary edges that interlock. This segmentation allows each section to independently engage with the wood grain, distributing fastening forces more evenly and reducing the risk of wood splitting while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket incorporates a guide member with a guide slot that provides localized guidance for the elongated fastener. This local quality enhancement ensures the fastener is properly positioned and guided during installation, improving load distribution at the critical fastening point while preventing uneven stress concentration that could cause wood splitting.
2Strength
If conventional brackets attempt to provide high integrity bonding, then the bracket structure becomes rigid, but the installation complexity increases and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The complementary edges of the two base sections are designed to self-align and interlock automatically during installation. The guide member with its guide slot further assists by self-guiding the elongated fastener into the correct position, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures and reducing installation complexity while maintaining high bonding integrity.
3Device complexity
If the bracket uses a simple L-shaped design with fastener openings, then the device complexity is low, but the load transfer efficiency from tension to shear loads is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket evolves from a simple L-shaped single-plane design to a multi-dimensional structure with two base sections having complementary edges that create a profile opening. This dimensional enhancement allows the bracket to engage the wood grain in multiple directions, improving load transfer efficiency from tension to shear loads while adding minimal complexity to the overall design.
4Strength
If the bracket uses heavy duty fasteners, then the fastening strength increases, but the fastener head/bracket interface may fail under high tension loads
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is merged with the mounting base to form an integrated structure. The guide slot in the guide member and the complementary edges of the base sections work together as a unified system to properly position and support the heavy duty elongated fastener. This merged structure distributes the high tension loads across multiple engagement points, preventing fastener head/bracket interface failure while maintaining fastening strength.
Data Source
AI summary
The tension bracket is configured to receive an elongated fastener to provide a connection under tension between a secondary structure and a principal support structure. The bracket has a mounting base with two substantially coplanar base sections having complementary opposed adjacent edges. The sections define a plurality of fastener openings and a profile opening. A guide member integrally extends from the sections and has parallel walls disposed above and extending perpendicular to the base sections. A pair of laterally spaced reinforcement ribs project perpendicularly from the base sections. In one embodiment, the tension bracket is formed from a single sheet of metal.