Building Panel Concealed Fastener and Sealing Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building panels face challenges in concealing fastener heads and ensuring effective sealing between panels, which can compromise the aesthetic appeal and insulation efficiency of exterior walls.
Innovation Solution
The building panel design features a contoured portion with a stepped and indented fastener receiving portion, along with flanges and seals, to conceal fastener heads and maintain insulation integrity by spacing seals away from the insulated material, while a joint clip with a resilient pad secures panels to a frame structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If fastener heads are exposed on the panel surface, then the sealing and structural integrity are simplified, but the aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener receiving portion creates a recessed third dimension on the panel surface, moving the fastener head from the visible surface plane to a concealed subsurface location. This dimensional transition allows fasteners to remain functional while being hidden from view, resolving the contradiction between aesthetic appearance and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The contoured portion acts as an intermediary structure between the fastener head and the external environment. It provides a recessed space that accommodates the fastener head while maintaining a clean external surface, mediating between the need for visible fastening and aesthetic requirements.
2Reliability
If seals are positioned close to the insulated material, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the insulation continuity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The seal arrangement is segmented into multiple components: the seal member itself, the flange providing mounting support, and the spaced relationship to insulation. This segmentation allows the seal to be positioned on the flange away from the insulation terminus, maintaining insulation continuity while still providing effective sealing at the joint interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange serves as an intermediary mounting surface for the seal, positioning it away from the insulated material terminus. This intermediary structure enables the seal to function effectively at the joint while preserving the insulation continuity by preventing direct contact between the seal and insulation terminus.
3Shape
If fastener heads are flush with the panel surface, then the structural attachment is simplified, but the aesthetic appearance and water drainage are deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener receiving portion creates a recessed dimension that accommodates the fastener head below the flush surface level. This allows the fastener to be installed in a simplified manner while the recessed position ensures the head does not protrude, maintaining surface smoothness and enabling proper water drainage.
4Shape
If the contoured portion is added to conceal fasteners, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contoured portion is merged with the outer skin as an integrated feature rather than a separate component. This combining approach maintains aesthetic appearance while reducing overall device complexity by eliminating the need for separate fastener concealment components.
Data Source
AI summary
A building panel has an outer skin spaced from an inner skin, sandwiching an insulation material. A first end of the outer skin includes a step portion, an indented fastener receiving portion and a first flange. The first flange extends outwardly toward a surface of the outer skin. A seal is mounted on the first flange. The inner skin includes a first end. The inner skin first end includes a shelf and a second flange extending from the shelf. A second seal is positioned on the second flange. A second end of the outer skin includes a portion to receive an outer skin first end of an adjoining panel. A second end of the inner skin includes a portion to receive an inner skin first end of the adjoining panel.