Adjustable Doorsill with Lifter for Subfloor Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing doorsills face challenges in achieving proper alignment with subfloors and door frames, which affects their ability to form effective air and watertight seals and manage water effectively, leading to potential interior damage due to misalignment imperfections.

Innovation Solution

The doorsill design includes an adjustable substrate with lifters, threaded bores, and adjustment screws that allow for tilting and leveling, along with a removable sill deck and detachable dam, enabling precise orientation and installation to ensure proper alignment and sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional fixed doorsills are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the alignment with subfloors and door frames is imprecise, leading to poor sealing and water management

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoiddoorsill structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The doorsill incorporates adjustable components including threaded rods that can be rotated to extend or retract, allowing the doorsill to be dynamically adjusted during installation to achieve precise alignment with the subfloor and door frame. This transforms a static structure into a dynamic one that can adapt to installation variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The doorsill is divided into multiple separable components including the substrate, threaded rods, adjustment screws, and sill deck. This segmentation allows each component to be independently adjusted and positioned, enabling precise alignment while maintaining ease of installation and adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If adjustable components are added to improve alignment, then the sealing and water management functionality is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidadjustable mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The threaded rods serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for the doorsill, enable vertical adjustment to compensate for subfloor imperfections, and facilitate precise alignment with the door frame. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism is designed to be self-adjusting during installation. The threaded rods can be manually rotated to extend or retract, allowing installers to self-correct alignment issues without requiring additional tools or complex adjustment procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If precise alignment is achieved through adjustment mechanisms, then water management and sealing are enhanced, but the installation time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater management effectivenessVSAvoidinstallation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The threaded rods are pre-installed on the substrate before final assembly. This preliminary action allows the adjustment mechanism to be prepared in advance, reducing the time required during final installation as the rods can be quickly rotated to achieve the desired alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10697228B2Doorsill with mullion spacer
Publication Date: 2020.06.30 ENDURA PRODS INC
  • US10697228B2 patent drawing
  • US10697228B2 patent drawing
  • US10697228B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A doorsill for forming the bottom of an entryway. The doorsill has a substrate to be disposed above a subfloor and a lifter provided on the substrate capable of extending from a bottom of the substrate. The lifter is adjustable to change the orientation or position of the bottom relative to the subfloor.