Architectural Covering With Collapsible Insulation Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing architectural coverings for structures lack cost-effective and efficient methods to adjust light transmission and insulation properties while maintaining aesthetic appeal and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A panel design featuring overlapping strips of material with resilient support members that expand and collapse cells to control light and insulation, manufactured by helically winding material around a drum and incorporating thermoformable cell support members for enhanced expansion and collapse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If cells are expanded to increase insulation, then insulative factor is improved, but panel volume increases making storage difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The panel incorporates resilient support members that enable the cells to dynamically change volume between expanded and collapsed states. When extended, cells expand to maximize insulation; when retracted, cells collapse to minimize storage volume. This dynamic transformation allows the same structure to optimize for both insulation performance and storage efficiency at different operational states.
2Loss of energy
If multiple strips of material are overlapped to form cells, then insulation and light control are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the overlapping strips structure: the strips simultaneously form the cell walls for insulation, provide the mechanical framework for expansion/collapse, and create the layered configuration for light control. By merging these functions into a single structural element, the design reduces manufacturing complexity compared to assembling separate components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel is segmented into multiple overlapping strips that can be manufactured separately and then assembled through helical winding. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of individual strip components while achieving complex cellular structures when assembled, reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
3Loss of energy
If resilient support members are added to expand cells, then insulation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient support members are designed to automatically expand and collapse the cells based on the panel's extension state without requiring external actuators or complex control systems. The resilience of the support members themselves provides the expanding force, making the system self-service and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective insulation.
4Productivity
If helical winding is used for manufacturing, then production efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The helical winding process allows for adjustable parameters such as winding tension, overlap distance, and winding angle to be optimized for mass production. By establishing standardized parameter ranges, the process achieves high production efficiency while maintaining sufficient precision through controlled variations rather than requiring extreme precision at every point.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides adjustable light transmission and enhanced insulation, reduces manufacturing complexity, and maintains aesthetic appeal by using overlapping strips and resilient support members, while being cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
The strips of material may include a resilient support member to expand the cells as the panel is extended across the architectural structure
Implementation Method 2
The panel may be manufactured by helically winding a continuous, elongate strip of material about a drum in an overlapped manner
Data Source
AI summary
An architectural covering and a method of manufacturing the covering is provided. The panel may include multiple strips of material extending lengthwise across a width dimension of the panel. The strips of material may be overlapped and coupled to one another to define cells between adjacent strips of material. The panel may be retracted and extended across an architectural opening, and the strips of material may include a resilient support member to expand the cells as the panel is extended across the architectural opening. The panel may be manufactured by helically winding a continuous, elongate strip of material about a drum in an overlapped manner.