Four-Point Wedge Locking Housing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional two-part housings with screw connections at corners result in an inhomogeneous surface, compromising design aesthetics and requiring visible screws or caps, which are not aesthetically pleasing and can be cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A four-point wedge locking system where the housing top part grips the bottom part's side walls, using a U-shaped wedge slide with contact surfaces to deflect force, ensuring uniform seal compression without visible screws, allowing for efficient assembly and potential additional functions like electrical connections or light guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If screw connections are used at the corners of a two-part housing, then the housing parts can be securely connected, but the surface becomes inhomogeneous and aesthetically unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
The screw connections are completely removed from the housing exterior. Instead, a wedge locking system is used that secures the housing parts without requiring visible fasteners, thus maintaining surface homogeneity while achieving secure connection through the wedge effect at the corners.
Solution Approach 2:
A seal element is introduced as an intermediary component between the housing parts. This seal not only provides sealing functionality but also serves as a medium to transmit and distribute the clamping force uniformly across the sealing surface, replacing the need for corner screw connections.
2Reliability
If multiple screw connections are provided for secure housing assembly, then connection reliability is improved, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping function is segmented into four separate clamping elements positioned at the corners of the housing. Each clamping element independently secures the housing parts, distributing the locking function across multiple points while requiring only a single assembly motion to engage all elements simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The wedge-shaped clamping elements are pre-positioned in recesses of the housing parts. During assembly, a single insertion motion automatically engages all four clamping elements simultaneously, eliminating the need for sequential screw tightening and significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining reliable connection.
3Reliability
If a seal is compressed uniformly around the housing circumference, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but achieving uniform compression with corner screws is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The seal element is designed with varying local properties - it has different compression characteristics at different locations. The seal is pre-compressed more strongly at the corner areas where the clamping elements apply force, while maintaining appropriate compression along the edges, achieving uniform overall sealing effectiveness through localized force application points.
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
The system achieves a uniform seal compression over the housing circumference, ensuring effective sealing while maintaining a homogeneous surface, facilitating quick and efficient assembly, and enabling additional functionalities like energy routing or light guidance.
Implementation Method 1
a force exerted in the direction of the wedge slide is deflected by 90° via these contact surfaces into a force exerted in the direction of the rear of the lower part of the housing in such a way that the upper part of the housing is pressed at its four corner areas against the lower part of the housing, compressing the seal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~7
AI summary
A housing upper portion (13) has side walls (15) engaged on side walls (4) of housing lower portion (1). A seal (9) is provided between front plate (14) of upper portion and side walls of lower portion. Two seats (16) are equipped in interior of housing upper portion. A wedge slider (25) is engaged with side legs (28,31). The seats and side legs have mutual pressing surfaces (29, 30, 32, 33) on which force is applied by wedge slider so that back section (2) of housing lower portion is deflected and housing upper portion is pressed to housing bottom portion under seal compression.