Balcony Floor Joint Structure With Liquid Repellent Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing balcony floor designs are not versatile, require time-consuming welding, and are prone to corrosion and leakage due to lack of protective measures, making them inefficient and environmentally unsuitable.

Innovation Solution

A balcony floor system featuring a joint structure with a rotatable hinge and locking mechanism that allows quick assembly without welding, combined with a liquid-repellent coating to mitigate corrosion and leakage, using extruded aluminum sections with integral hinge and locking features for easy assembly and interconnection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If welding is used to connect balcony floor sections, then structural strength is improved, but assembly time increases and environmental impact worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the welding process (thermal/chemical joining) with a mechanical connection system consisting of tongue and groove joints combined with corner connections. This mechanical system achieves structural strength without requiring welding operations, thereby reducing assembly time and eliminating welding-related environmental hazards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Device complexity

If traditional balcony floor designs are used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but corrosion and leakage resistance worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidcorrosion and leakage resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a liquid repellant coating (thin film) over the entire subfloor surface, including the joint structures. This coating layer provides corrosion and leakage resistance without fundamentally changing the simple structural design of the balcony floor, thereby protecting the structure while maintaining design simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If dovetail arrangements and hinge connections are used, then connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the connection system into separate functional elements: tongue and groove joints for primary connection and corner connections for secondary reinforcement. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard extrusion processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Strength

If extensive welding is performed, then structural integrity is improved, but environmental impact and production time worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces welding operations with mechanical tongue and groove joints combined with corner connections. This mechanical joining system achieves equivalent structural integrity without the time-consuming welding process, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing environmental impact associated with welding operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 enables rapid assembly, reduces environmental impact, and effectively prevents corrosion and leakage, providing a durable and versatile balcony floor solution.

Implementation Method 1

the subfloor being coated with a liquid repellant coating covering said joint structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLiquid repellant coating: Hydrophobe

Data Source

PatentEP3482008B1Balcony floor
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 NORDISKA BALCO
  • EP3482008B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3482008B1 patent drawingFigure 1c~1d
  • EP3482008B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present invention relates to a balcony floor (1) comprising at least two sectional floor elements (2, 3) disposed side by side and connected to each other by a joint structure (5) so as to form a flat subfloor (4), the balcony floor (1) being adapted to be carried by a floor support (7). The joint structure (5) comprises a hinge means (10) rotatably interconnecting two sectional floor elements (2, 3) at meeting bottom edges (2', 3') of these, and a locking means (20) at meeting top edges (2'', 3'') of these two sectional floor elements (2, 3) interlocking them in a flat position. The subfloor (4) is coated with a liquid repellant coating (4) covering said joint structure (5).