Wall Cupboard Plaque Positioning for Precise Hidden Bracket Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for assembling wall cupboards using hidden shoulder-centre brackets are inefficient due to the need for precise placement of wall plaques, which requires expert assembly and is time-consuming, especially when assembling multiple adjacent cupboards with varying interaxis distances, leading to potential assembly failures and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
An automated assembly method utilizing a disposable plastic instrument, comprising a tubular spacer and end connections with elastically yielding flaps and teeth, ensures that the interaxis between wall plaques is perfectly identical to the interaxis between cupboard abutments, allowing for precise and rapid assembly without repositioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If plaques are fixed to the wall manually by expert assemblers to ensure precise interaxis positioning, then assembly precision is improved, but assembly time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the plaques onto the disposable instrument (dime) before fixing to the wall. The instrument is manufactured with pre-determined interaxis dimensions that exactly match the cupboard abutment spacing. This pre-positioning ensures precise interaxis alignment is achieved automatically when the instrument is fixed to the wall, eliminating the need for expert manual positioning during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable instrument (dime) serves as an intermediary device between the plaques and the wall. It incorporates the plaques in fixed positions with precise interaxis spacing, and provides a standardized fixing mechanism to the wall. This intermediary ensures that the complex precision requirement is transferred to the manufacturing stage rather than the assembly stage, allowing non-expert assemblers to achieve precise results.
2Reliability
If plaques are fixed to the wall with high precision requirements, then assembly reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable instrument acts as an intermediary that consolidates the precision requirements into a single manufactured component. The plaques are pre-mounted on the instrument with exact interaxis spacing during manufacturing, transforming a complex positioning task into a simple fixation operation. This intermediary device ensures assembly reliability while simplifying the assembly process for non-experts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable instrument that is used once and then discarded. This disposable approach allows for high precision manufacturing of the interaxis spacing without requiring expensive reusable positioning equipment or highly skilled assemblers. The low cost of the disposable instrument makes it economically viable to use this precision-engineered intermediary for each assembly operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual plaque positioning is used for multiple adjacent cupboards, then adaptability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable instrument is designed as a universal solution that can be used for assembling multiple adjacent cupboards. Each instrument incorporates multiple plaques positioned with the correct interaxis spacing, allowing a single standardized component to serve multiple cupboards in a row. This universality enables non-expert assemblers to quickly assemble multiple units without requiring adaptive manual positioning for each individual cupboard.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables quick, safe, and cost-effective assembly of wall cupboards by ensuring identical interaxis distances, eliminating the need for expert assembly and reducing waste, even when assembling multiple adjacent units.
Implementation Method 1
two end connections (36), which contain in their interior a pair of interspaced flaps (39), elastically yielding, which end with teeth (40) suitable for being clip-coupled at the opening (34) of a respective plaque (30)
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for the wall assembly (P) of a wall cupboard (M) comprising a plurality of plaques (30, 130) destined for being fixed to the wall (P), and a plurality of shoulder-centre brackets (31) inserted in the abutments (32) of said cupboard (M), and destined for being hooked by means of hooks (33) to openings (34) of said plaques (30, 130), and wherein the interaxis "a" between said abutments (32) must be substantially identical to the interaxis "b" between said plaques (30, 130), comprises the following operative phases: a. removably pre- assembling said plaques (30, 130) on a supporting and positioning instrument (29, 129) with an interaxis "b" between the plaques substantially identical to the interaxis "a" between the abutments (32) of the cupboard (M) to be assembled, so as to obtain a rigid complex (S); b. fixing said complex (S) to the wall, using said plaques (30, 130) assembled on said instrument (29, 129).