Trace Routing Fastener With Visual Lock Pin Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fastening systems for automotive components require tools for installation, leading to increased complexity, weight, labor demands, and potential assembly delays, and often result in improper installation causing detachment or damage to secured objects.
Innovation Solution
A fastening system with a lock pin and base structure featuring an installation indicator, allowing for tool-free assembly and visual or automated verification of proper installation through integrated scannable elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fastening systems use bolts and heavy tools during installation, then the fastening reliability is improved, but the system weight increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener is designed to be self-installing without requiring external tools. The push-button actuation mechanism allows the fastener to deploy its own locking features and securing elements automatically during insertion, eliminating the need for bolt tools and heavy installation equipment while maintaining reliable fastening
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes traditional bolts and heavy installation tools from the fastening system entirely. The conventional bolt-based fastening mechanism is extracted and replaced with a tool-free push-button fastener that achieves equivalent or superior reliability without the associated weight and complexity
2Strength
If conventional fastening systems use bolts and heavy tools during installation, then the fastening strength is improved, but the manufacturing time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener components are pre-configured and pre-assembled in a compact state before installation. The locking features, securing elements, and actuation mechanisms are prepared in advance within the fastener body, allowing rapid one-step installation without sequential bolt tightening operations, thereby increasing assembly speed while maintaining strength
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener performs its own installation and locking actions automatically through push-button actuation. The system self-deploys securing elements and self-locks during insertion without requiring external tool operations or multiple manual steps, simultaneously achieving strong fastening and high productivity
3Reliability
If no installation indicator is provided, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of proper installation cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener incorporates visual indicators that change appearance or position based on installation status. Colored markers, windows, or visible features on the fastener body indicate whether the fastener is properly seated and locked, providing immediate visual confirmation of correct installation without adding mechanical complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener provides real-time feedback during installation through visual indicators that show the installation status. The indicator system gives immediate information about whether the fastener is correctly positioned and secured, allowing operators to verify proper installation instantly without complex inspection procedures
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes a fastening system for securing components, such as tubes or cables, to a larger structure, like a vehicle body panel. The system includes a base structure that holds the components and a lock pin that secures the base structure in place. The lock pin has a head with a movable tab that covers an installation indicator when the pin is not fully seated. As the lock pin is pushed into its final position, the tab pivots out of the way, revealing the installation indicator, which can be read by a visual quality system. This arrangement allows operators or automated systems to quickly verify whether the lock pin has been correctly installed. The tab and indicator combination provides a visual and tactile confirmation of proper installation, helps prevent assembly errors, and can integrate with automated inspection systems.