Architectural Database Tag with Laser-Engraved QR Code
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Solution Overview
Problem
The building industry lacks a durable and easily accessible architectural database tag that provides vital information about a building's architecture, including roof deck composition, insulation R-value, and roof coating chemical composition, making it difficult for building owners and contractors to perform repairs and determine warranty validity.
Innovation Solution
A stainless steel architectural database tag with laser-engraved QR-codes is designed for easy installation on building surfaces, providing accessible information via scanning, and includes a membrane for secure attachment using hot-air welding, ensuring the tag remains visible and readable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional paper backups are used to store building information, then information can be stored, but the information is easily lost during property sales or management changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses QR codes as a digital copy of building information that can be scanned and accessed electronically. Instead of relying on physical paper backups that get lost, the information is encoded in a durable, machine-readable format that persists on the building structure itself, eliminating the fragility of paper-based systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical paper-based information storage system with an optical/digital system using QR codes. This substitution allows information to be accessed electronically through smartphones or scanners, making it far more durable and easier to retrieve than physical paper documents that can be misplaced or damaged.
2Ease of operation
If architectural database tags are installed on buildings, then building information becomes accessible, but the installation process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the information storage system into separate functional components: the QR code graphic itself, the membrane for attachment, and the optional intermediate member for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall installation process, as the QR code can be printed separately and attached without requiring complex integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a membrane as an intermediary layer between the QR code and the building surface, and optionally an intermediate member as a mediator for positioning. These intermediaries simplify installation by providing a standardized attachment interface, allowing the QR code to be mounted without directly modifying the building structure, thus reducing installation complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If roof materials are used without identifying marks, then material selection is flexible, but warranty verification and repair coordination become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent encodes manufacturer identification and warranty information into a QR code that can be attached to the roof materials. This digital copy of the information preserves all necessary details (manufacturer, installation date, warranty terms) in a compact, durable format that does not interfere with material selection flexibility while ensuring information is never lost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the identifying QR code specifically to the roof materials where it is needed for warranty verification and repair coordination. This localized application of identification does not constrain material selection across the entire building, as each material can still be chosen independently, but ensures that critical information is present at the point of use.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If architectural database tags are made durable and visible, then information remains readable over time, but the tag construction becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a printed or laser-engraved QR code that replicates the necessary information in a durable format. Rather than creating a complex physical tag structure, the information is copied onto a simple substrate (the membrane or intermediate member), achieving durability through the copying process and material selection rather than through structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves durability by changing the parameters of the tag materials - using weather-resistant membranes and durable engraving or printing methods. This allows the information to withstand environmental conditions over time without requiring complex construction, as the durability is achieved through material parameter selection rather than structural complexity.
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 allows for accurate identification of building components, warranty verification, and easy access to repair information, ensuring that building owners can find the necessary information for maintenance and repairs, reducing costs and liability uncertainties.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane for attaching the architectural database tag to a surface of the building
Data Source
AI summary
An architectural database tag assembly includes an architectural database tag containing indicia related to information about architecture of the building; and a membrane for attaching the architectural database tag to a surface of the building. Another architectural database tag assembly includes a tubular member comprising a central bore extending along an axis of the tubular member, and comprising a top surface, bottom surface, and at least one side surface between the top surface and the bottom surface; an architectural database tag to be attached to the top surface of the tubular member, the architectural database tag containing indicia related to information about architecture of the building; and a membrane for attaching the bottom surface of the tubular member to a surface of the building. The architectural database tag provides vital information about the architecture of a building, and is readily accessible and readable by persons seeking such information.