Toolless-Cuddly 装配连接件 by Yu Ren is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award 铁奖 in 设计质量与创新 Competition Category.

铁设计质量· 2025

Toolless-Cuddly 装配连接件

by Yu Ren

Client: Ziel Home Furnishing Technology Co., Ltd.

A' Design Award 铁奖 Winner in 设计质量 Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #164472

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Toolless-Cuddly 装配连接件

Toolless-Cuddly 是一款专为组装猫爬架而设计的连接件。该连接件采用塑料材质，尺寸为宽76毫米、深76毫米、高46毫米。组装时只需对齐卡扣并旋转即可完成，无需使用任何工具。各部件可多次拆卸与重新连接，使猫爬架能够随着猫咪需求的变化而扩展或重新组合。该连接件可承重30公斤。磨损的配件可以更换，从而延长猫爬架的使用寿命。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 铁奖

Toolless-Cuddly 装配连接件是 A' Design Award 铁奖得主，这是授予满足人们对设计精良的创作所期待的专业与工业要求的优良设计的声望认可。铁奖得主展现出其创作者的高超技艺、高度专业化、专家级的理解力和创造能力。预计Toolless-Cuddly 装配连接件将成为一件备受推崇、令人钦佩且被珍爱的创作，既实用又创新。这件赢得 A' Design Award 铁奖的设计整合了行业最佳实践，并拥有与专业知识和才华相结合的称职技术特性。Toolless-Cuddly 装配连接件因其严谨而受到尊重，旨在提供有助于让世界变得更美好的生活品质改善。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Toolless Clickat is a connector specifically designed for assembling cat trees. It enables quick and easy assembly without the need for tools and can be disassembled and reassembled multiple times, allowing users to use the cat tree flexibly. Whether the cat grows up or the number of cats increases, users can quickly assemble and disassemble the cat tree according to their actual needs, enabling combination and expansion.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width 76mm x Depth 76mm x Height 46mm
Tags: Assembling connectors, Pet products, Pet furniture, Plastic products, Pet supplies accessories
Production Technology: Toolless Clickat is made of a plastic material, which is sturdy and durable, and it can withstand a weight of 30KG. It is designed for the cat tree assembly and is easy to use. Cat tree products can be quickly assembled and disassembled without the use of any tools, significantly enhancing the user experience. Compared to traditional products, Toolless Clickat reduces installation time by 80%. It can also increase production efficiency during the manufacturing process of Cat Trees, which can lead to higher profits.
Design Challenge: During the research and design process, the main challenge lies in exploring a novel connector structure that not only meets the playful needs of cats, but also caters to the owner's preference for convenient installation. In addition, ensuring the stability of the connector to maximize the assembly speed is another major challenge, and the new connector needs to be smoothly adapted to the traditional cat tree accessories. The Toolless-Clickat connector uses an innovative connection mode, eliminating the use of a screwdriver. Compared with ordinary products, products assembled with the Toolless Clickat connector can reduce the installation time by 90%.
Research: Many users express dissatisfaction with traditional cat tree products, citing difficulties in installation, accessory replacement, and the inability to adjust the cat tree area to meet their cats' needs, which often necessitates re-selection. To address these issues, we have focused on enabling quick installation and replacement. We developed the Toolless Clickat quick-installation connectors, which allow for arbitrary combinations and minimalist assembly of cat tree components. Additionally, during subsequent use, vulnerable parts can be easily replaced using the Toolless Clickat system.
Inspiration: When your cat at home grows up and welcomes new companions, it will need more scratching posts and jumping platforms. The small cat climbing frame will need to be replaced with a larger one, and the owner will have to go through the lengthy installation process again. The design inspiration for Toolless Clickat's tool-free quick assembly comes from this very need.
Project Duration: The project started in Zhengzhou in February 2024 and was completed in Shenzhen in September 2024
Operation Flow: After installing the Toolless Click system on the cat tree accessory, users can quickly complete the assembly by aligning the clasps and rotating them. This makes the assembly and disassembly of the product very simple, reducing the time required for assembling a single accessory from 2 minutes to just 10 seconds. Additionally, compared to traditional screw connections, this system is more durable. The accessories can also be replaced according to the cat's growth needs, allowing the product to be freely reconfigured and extending the life cycle of the cat tree.
Patents: 2024102953744
Team Members: Ruihua Zhang
Zhe Gao
Youjin Song
Jingkai Bi