Detachable Pin-and-Groove Joint for Large Timber Element Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dovetail joints and metal connectors for connecting wall, ceiling, or roof elements require high production expenditure, material removal, and laborious assembly, especially for large-area components, and metal connectors are difficult to insert due to small clearance.
Innovation Solution
A detachable pin-and-groove connection system where the pin is secured to one component with a screw or pin connection and the groove is milled into the second component, allowing easy assembly and adjustment, with options for different cross-sectional designs including dovetail, wedge, and T-connection configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional dovetail joints are used to connect wooden components, then tensile forces can be transmitted effectively, but production expenditure and manufacturing complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into separate components: a pin attached to one wooden component and a corresponding groove in the other component. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured independently with simpler processes, avoiding the need for complex integrated dovetail milling while maintaining effective tensile force transmission through the pinned groove interface.
2Strength
If metal connectors are used for wall fastening, then connection strength is improved, but insertion difficulty increases due to small clearance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of inserting a rigid metal connector into a tight clearance, the invention inverts the approach by using a wooden pin that is attached to one component and then inserted into a pre-formed groove in the other component. The groove is shaped to accommodate the pin, reversing the traditional insertion paradigm and making assembly easier while maintaining connection strength.
3Strength
If pins are milled or cut out from wooden components to create dovetail joints, then connection capability is achieved, but material removal increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pin as a separate, removable component rather than removing material from the wooden component itself. The pin is attached to one component and inserted into a groove in the other component, eliminating the need for extensive material removal while achieving the same connection capability.
4Reliability
If complex metal connectors are used for assembly, then connection reliability is improved, but assembly time and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pin is designed to be self-aligning and self-accommodating within the groove, eliminating the need for complex pre-assembly or precise alignment procedures. The wooden pin can be easily attached to one component and then inserted into the corresponding groove in the other component, making the assembly process simple and quick while maintaining reliable connection.
Data Source
AI summary
A wall, ceiling or roof element connection for connecting bar shaped, beam shaped or panel shaped wooden components includes a pin arranged on the first wooden component and has an outer contour widening in the direction of the second wooden component, and a recess or notch arranged directly on the second wooden component and having an insertion section for insertion of the pin and a holding section having an inwardly widening inner contour adapted to the outer contour of the pin for holding the pin. The pin is attached to the first wooden component via a detachable connection.