Twist and Lock Glass Shade Mounting System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for attaching lamp shades to light sockets, such as candelabras and ceiling fans, are cumbersome and costly, requiring spanner wrenches or small thumb screws that are difficult to manipulate and prone to loss or loosening due to vibrations, posing safety risks.

Innovation Solution

Converting the neck of lamp shades into threadable couplers with an insert ring and exterior ring, using mounting screws and washers to form a hollow coupler with an internal threaded surface, allowing the shade to be screwed directly onto exterior threads without additional tools or small screws.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a nut is used to attach the lamp shade to the socket, then the attachment is secure, but the narrow space inside the shade makes it difficult to position and manipulate the nut with fingers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidnut positioning difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment system is divided into two parts: a male threaded portion attached to the exterior of the shade neck, and a female threaded portion in the socket. This segmentation allows the threading mechanism to be distributed between components, enabling easy exterior threading while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of threading a nut from the inside of the shade (which is difficult), the invention inverts the approach by providing external threads on the shade neck that engage with internal threads in the socket. This allows threading to be performed from the exterior where fingers can easily access and manipulate the components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If a spanner wrench is used to tighten the nut, then the attachment becomes secure, but additional cost and expense are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment securityVSAvoidinstallation cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The external threaded design allows the lamp shade to be self-installed using only fingers for threading. The coarse external threads provide sufficient grip that no special tools are needed, eliminating the cost of spanner wrenches while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The thread parameters (coarse pitch, external location) are specifically designed to be manually threadable by fingers alone. This parameter optimization eliminates the need for mechanical advantage tools while still achieving reliable attachment security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If small thumb screws are used to fasten the shade, then attachment is achieved, but the screws are hard to manipulate and can easily become dropped and lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment capabilityVSAvoidscrew manipulation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the small, difficult-to-handle thumb screws from the system and replaces them with a threaded coupling mechanism. The threading action itself provides the fastening function without requiring separate small fastening elements that are prone to being lost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The fastening function is merged with the structural coupling elements (the threaded portions). The male and female threads themselves serve as both the structural connection and the fastening mechanism, eliminating the need for separate small screws.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If small screws are used to attach the shade, then attachment is achieved, but vibrations cause the screws to become loose and fall out, creating safety hazards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment capabilityVSAvoidscrew looseness under vibration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment mechanism transitions from small linear screws to a distributed threaded coupling system. The threading engagement occurs along the length of the threaded portions, distributing the attachment force across multiple engagement points rather than relying on small screws that can easily disengage under vibration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The threaded portions provide a curved, interlocking engagement surface that resists vibrational loosening. The helical geometry of the threads creates mechanical interference that prevents back-out, whereas small flat-head screws lack this vibration-resistant geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS9816688B1Twist and lock glass shade mounting system and method of assembly

Publication Date: 2017.11.14 HKC US LLC

AI summary

Devices, systems and methods of converting the necks on lamp shades into threadable couplers that allow the shades with the couplers to be screwed onto the exterior threads on light sockets, such as those types of sockets found on wall mounted and ceiling mounted candelabras and ceiling fans. The couplers can include plate members that are fastened in a sandwich configuration on both the inside and outside of the neck portion of the shade with the sandwiched plate members having an interior threaded surface. Modified lamp shades can be screwed to exterior threaded light sockets on candelabra lights, pendant lights, ceiling fan lights, and any other type of lamp sockets that have removable lamp shades.