Active Sealing System for Door Panel Environmental Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing systems for panels, such as doors and windows, fail to effectively prevent the transfer of environmental elements like noise, weather, water, and insects due to insufficient barriers and alignment issues, and often compromise structural integrity or security when attempting to allow or prevent panel movement.
Innovation Solution
A combined sealing system incorporating both active and passive seals, with an active sealing system that engages specific surfaces of the panel and frame, providing a locked configuration to enhance the passive seal and prevent movement, while allowing the panel to pivot or slide, and a drive system to maintain the seal in a closed position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If weather stripping is used between panels and frame, then sealing is provided, but the seal becomes insufficient to prevent environmental element transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple independent sealing members (first sealing member, second sealing member, third sealing member) positioned at different locations and orientations. Each sealing member addresses specific sealing needs at different interfaces between the panel and frame, creating a multi-layered sealing approach that prevents environmental element transfer more effectively than single weather stripping
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system transitions from traditional linear weather stripping to a three-dimensional sealing architecture with members positioned at various depths and angles. The first, second, and third sealing members are arranged in different spatial dimensions to create comprehensive coverage, blocking environmental elements from transferring through the panel-frame interface
2Reliability
If seals are made to rely on positional relationships between frame and panel, then sealing is achieved, but alignment disturbances degrade seal quality
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing members are pre-positioned and pre-configured in their optimal sealing positions before the panel is installed or moved. The first, second, and third sealing members are already in place to maintain sealing contact, so that even when the panel moves or aligns differently, the seals remain engaged and effective without requiring precise real-time alignment
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system is designed to be dynamic and adaptive to panel movement. The sealing members are positioned and configured to maintain contact and sealing effectiveness whether the panel is in closed position or during movement, allowing the system to adapt to changing positional relationships between the frame and panel
3Ease of operation
If means are provided to allow panel movement relative to frame, then operational flexibility is achieved, but structural integrity and security are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into multiple independent sealing members (first, second, and third sealing members) that can independently accommodate panel movement while maintaining sealing. This segmentation allows each sealing member to flex and adapt to panel position changes without compromising the overall structural integrity of the panel-frame assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing members are designed with flexible characteristics that allow them to deform and adapt to panel movement while maintaining continuous sealing contact. This flexibility enables the panel to move relative to the frame for operational purposes while the flexible sealing members continue to provide structural connection and security
Data Source
AI summary
A combined sealing system for connecting a panel to a frame includes a first active sealing system and a first passive seal. The first active sealing system engages a first surface of the panel or a first surface of the frame. The first passive seal engages a second surface of the panel and a second surface of the frame. Upon the panel being in a single closed position relative to the frame, the active sealing system has a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, and the active sealing system in the locked configuration causes the first passive seal to be further engaged.