Airtight Insert Assembly for Ceiling Distribution Box Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Distribution boxes installed in hollow ceilings allow air to flow freely, affecting the temperature and air quality below the ceiling plates, leading to increased energy consumption and aesthetic issues due to dust pollution.
Innovation Solution
An airtight insert is designed to be mounted within the distribution box's installation opening, featuring a soft material body with an engaging edge that seals against the installation edge, and passages for electric wirings to maintain airtightness while allowing wire passage, ensuring minimal space and secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the distribution box is installed in a hollow ceiling with an open installation opening, then electric installation material can be easily accessed and installed, but air flows freely between the hollow space and the room below, causing temperature changes and increased energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The installation opening is segmented into two functional zones: an upper passage area for electric wirings and a lower sealed area for airtight closure. The airtight insert divides the opening space, allowing wire passage through membranes while sealing the remaining area to prevent air flow, thus resolving the contradiction between accessibility and energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The airtight insert is nested within the distribution box at the installation opening. The insert body with its engaging edge fits into the opening, creating a nested structure that seals the box while maintaining the passage function for wires, thereby preventing energy loss without compromising installation accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If the installation opening remains open for wire access, then electric wirings can be easily connected, but dust from the hollow space flows into the room below, polluting the air and ceiling plates
Solution Approach 1:
The airtight insert applies local quality by providing different properties in different areas: the membrane regions allow wire passage with minimal resistance, while the surrounding sealing regions provide airtight closure to prevent dust infiltration. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction between wire access and dust protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The airtight insert acts as an intermediary element between the hollow ceiling space and the room below. It mediates the conflicting requirements by providing a controlled interface that allows wire passage while blocking dust particles, thus protecting the room air quality without hindering electrical installations.
3Loss of energy
If a separate airtight insert is mounted in the installation opening, then air flow is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airtight insert is designed to be self-securing through its engaging edge that hooks onto the distribution box structure. The insert self-adjusts and self-seals when installed, eliminating the need for additional fastening mechanisms or complex assembly procedures, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining effective air flow prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The airtight insert utilizes a flexible membrane structure that naturally conforms to the opening and provides sealing through its elastic properties. This thin-film approach replaces rigid, complex sealing mechanisms with a simple, flexible element that achieves airtightness through material properties rather than mechanical complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly of a distribution box (1) and electric installation material with electric wirings, wherein the distribution box (1) comprises a top wall (11) and a circumferential wall (12) upright from the top wall (11), wherein the top wall (11) and the circumferential wall (12) together enclose an installation space for installation material, wherein the distribution box (1) comprises a bottom plane, opposite to the top wall, in which an installation opening (29) is provided, wherein the circumferential wall (12) is provided with one or more wire openings (20) for electric wirings to pass through the circumferential wall (12), characterized in that a separate airtight insert (50) is provided, wherein the separate airtight insert (50) is configured to be mounted in or at the installation opening (29) for substantially closing off the installation opening air tight.