Wall anchor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wall anchors, such as clip-nuts, face challenges in mounting items on thin or weak walls where small contact forces can cause distortion, and they are often limited by access restrictions, such as blind openings, requiring solutions that enhance load-bearing capacity and adaptability for various wall configurations.
Innovation Solution
A clip-nut type wall anchor comprising an external and inside plate connected by a cylindrical member, allowing for flexible positioning and load distribution, with features like auxiliary fastening plates and a concave design to accommodate various wall types and orientations, enabling secure fastening without visible external components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If screw anchors are used to enlarge contact area and prevent wall distortion, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and installation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the anchor body and the load-bearing structure into a single integrated clip-nut component. The U-shaped body with integrated flanges eliminates the need for separate anchors and mounting plates, reducing device complexity while maintaining load-bearing capacity through the enlarged flange contact area.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip-nut design serves multiple functions: it anchors the fastener, distributes load through enlarged flanges, and adapts to various wall configurations (thin walls, edges, blind bores). This multi-functionality replaces multiple specialized components with a single versatile element.
2Adaptability or versatility
If clip-nuts are used to mount on thin walls and edges, then adaptability is improved, but the contact area is reduced leading to increased wall distortion risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the contact area into a third dimension by creating enlarged flanges that protrude from the clip-nut body. These flanges distribute load over a larger volume of wall material, compensating for the reduced contact area inherent in thin wall and edge mounting applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The flanges are pre-formed as integral parts of the clip-nut before installation. This preliminary formation of load-distributing structures ensures that when the clip-nut is installed on thin walls or edges, the load is immediately distributed over the enlarged flange area, preventing wall distortion from the outset.
3Ease of operation
If clip-nuts are used for blind bore mounting, then ease of operation is improved, but the structural stability is reduced due to limited access for installation and adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The clip-nut design allows installation from one side only, with the fastener itself serving to secure the component in place. The U-shaped body clamps onto the fastener, and the enlarged flanges provide inherent structural stability through load distribution, eliminating the need for additional adjustment operations from the opposite side.
4Ease of manufacture
If the cylindrical connecting member has a round perimeter, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the precision of positioning is reduced compared to angular connections
Solution Approach 1:
While the cylindrical connecting member has a symmetric round perimeter for ease of manufacture, the patent introduces asymmetric positioning features in the form of non-circular fastener receiving bores and corresponding protrusions. This combination maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving precise positioning through the asymmetric engagement features.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are wall anchors including an external plate and an inside plate partially overlapping the external plate, each of the external plate and an inside plate having a wall-facing side, the plates being rigidly connected to one another adjacent a first end of their respective wall-facing sides by a cylindrical connecting member; at least a portion of the cylindrical connecting member is configured with a round perimeter. Further provided are modifications of such wall anchors.