Discussion: Snap-on-connectors

[simonszu]

During recent builds and expansion ideas of my desktop rack, i am having one problem: The rack is fully assembled and mounted. Now, what if i wanted to attach more stuff, i will have to disassemble it somehow.

Imagine this is a support beam: -

And i want to connect a second one, like this: T

The best practice is to use pull-through-connectors. However, these connectors require at least one end of the support beam to be detached from its end connector, so that the pull-through-connector can be placed on the beam.

But what if i cannot detach the beam from the connector because i would have to disassemble half of my rack? I am a lazy person and this sounds like lots of work.

So, my idea is: Would it be possible to design some kind of snap-on-pull-through connector?

Something like this for example but instead of the hook a regular connector end where i can insert the second beam.

I think the easiest would be the regular T-shaped connector, but the side opposed to the side where the second beam is put into simply kept open. Maybe with a snap-on-mechanism which uses the fact that the beams have chamfered edges.

And then simply snap on the connector to a beam, secure it as usual, done.

But: I am not sure if PLA is as flexible as it has to be to snap around the beam, and also this may increase the structural load on the lock pins since they are the only parts now acting as a counterpoint to any lateral forces - so maybe not an ideal solution for some vertical additions, but at least for horizontal additions.

So, there are open questions. Thats why i dont want to create this issue as a feature suggestion but at first as a discussion if this could be possible at all.

What do you think?

[kellervater]

Thanks for opening this discussion.
I wonder what the concrete use-case is. Do you need to regularly detach support beams?
I get the idea, but would a simple connection via intermediate regular connectors and simple x2 vertical supports also be sufficient? (even though more expensive in material usage).
Similar to the plant stackers made on Printables: https://www.printables.com/model/1560469-plantstacker-homeracker-a-stackable-shelf-for-plan

[simonszu]

Do you need to regularly detach support beams?

No. But there may be situations where i need additional beams without wanting to dismantle the whole rack.

Lets assume this is a rack, seen from above. The red parts are the connectors, and the black parts are the beams. The rack has multiple rows and is loaded with devices.

Now i exchange one device, and want to mount the new device with this mount bracket: https://makerworld.com/de/models/1362075-mount-bracket-for-homeracker#profileId-1407018

This requires one additional support beam, which is depicted with brown connectors in the title GIF of the mount bracket listing. Like this:

In the Gif, the additional connectors are marked as pull-through-connectors. To add them to the beams of the outer frame, i would need to disassemble big parts of the rack, removing the back side, and thus also all devices from the rack. This is quite a lot of work.

So my suggestion would be to publish new parts which simply omit the outer plane of the connectors, marked with arrows:

So, instead of having the pull-through connector (blue) wrapped around the beam (black) completely like this:

I suggest a partially open pull-through connector which snaps arond the chamfered beam like this:

It is then secured with a lock pin which would, in this perspective, go from top to bottom, and prevent the connector from sliding in both directions. However, if any load occurs which would pull the connector to the right side, all the load would concentrate on the lock pin, since the snap-opening of the connectors would not be able to handle such load.