Toggle Wall Anchor Assembly Without Pre-Drilled Holes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional anchor assemblies for hollow walls require drilling, which damages the rear surface and weakens the wall, especially in friable materials like plasterboard, as they need a pre-drilled hole for proper insertion and anchoring.
Innovation Solution
An anchor assembly with a toggle member that is initially aligned with the anchor body for easy insertion, then pivots to extend behind the wall, allowing a fastener to draw the toggle member against the wall's hidden side, utilizing deflector means and locking mechanisms to secure the toggle member in place, and featuring a plastics anchor body with a metallic toggle for enhanced rigidity and resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional anchor assemblies are inserted through pre-drilled holes, then the anchor can be properly installed and secured, but the rear surface of the wall is damaged and the wall structure is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor assembly inverts the conventional installation approach by not requiring a pre-drilled hole. Instead, the toggle member is initially aligned with the anchor body for insertion, then pivots to extend behind the wall surface, creating an anchorages system that works from the inside out rather than requiring access from the front
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor assembly is divided into distinct functional segments: the anchor body that interfaces with the wall surface, the toggle member that provides anchoring behind the wall, the deflector means that enables the pivoting motion, and the locking means that secures the toggle in place. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively solving the wall damage problem
2Ease of operation
If the toggle member is held captive in the aligned position, then the anchor assembly can be easily inserted into the wall, but additional locking mechanisms are required to secure the toggle member after insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The toggle member transitions from a static captive position during insertion to a dynamic pivoting motion, then settles into a locked position behind the wall. The deflector means enables this dynamic transition by allowing the toggle to pivot when the anchor body is inserted, transforming the installation process from a static to a dynamic operation
Solution Approach 2:
The locking means are designed to automatically engage and secure the toggle member in its extended position behind the wall without requiring external intervention. The system self-secures through the interaction between the locking means and the toggle member geometry, eliminating the need for additional manual locking steps
Data Source
AI summary
An anchor assembly (A) for hollow walls comprises an anchor body (400) and a toggle member (231) that is displaceable between a first position wherein the toggle member (231) is substantially aligned with the anchor body (400) such that the anchor assembly (A) can be inserted in the wall (W) via a cutting distal end (325) of the toggle member (231), and a second position wherein the toggle member (231) extends behind the wall (W) at an angle relative to the anchor body (400) which extends through the wall (W). The toggle member (231) is held captive in the first position but is released and then rotated to the second position by a fastener (218) introduced in the anchor body (400). The fastener (218) threadably engages the toggle member (231) thereby drawing the toggle member (231) against a hidden side of the wall (W).