C-Shaped Roller Supports for Flat Track Window Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional window/door systems with rail grooves are prone to dust accumulation, difficult to clean, and compromise air-tightness and water-tightness due to exposed rails, which can lead to drafts and water infiltration, especially in harsh weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A window/door system with a flat track utilizing '-shaped roller supports that reduce the number of exposed grooves by covering rails with a rail covering panel and using rollers with a cross-sectional shape that is open on one side, enhancing air and water tightness while maintaining a nice appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rail grooves are exposed to allow sliding motion, then the window/door can be opened or closed, but dust accumulates in the grooves making them difficult to clean and compromising air-tightness and water-tightness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful function of exposed rail grooves by introducing a rail cover that completely covers the rails. The rail cover is a separate component that can be installed independently, removing the dust-collecting grooves from the visible and accessible area while preserving the underlying sliding mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nesting by placing the rail cover over the existing rail structure, with the window/door sash nested on the rail through the roller support. The rail cover contains the rail, creating a nested configuration that eliminates exposed grooves while maintaining functionality.
2Ease of operation
If rail grooves are exposed for sliding motion, then the window/door can move, but air-tightness and water-tightness are compromised due to drafts and rainwater infiltration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful exposed grooves by extracting them and replacing them with a covered structure. The rail cover eliminates the direct path for drafts and rainwater while the drainage groove extracts and channels water away from the interior space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the rail cover as an intermediary element between the interior space and the sliding mechanism. This intermediary structure blocks direct exposure to elements while the drainage groove acts as a mediator to manage water flow, directing it away from the interior.
3Ease of operation
If conventional rail structures are used with multiple grooves, then sliding motion is enabled, but the appearance is compromised and maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the unsightly exposed grooves and replaces them with a clean, covered appearance. The rail cover provides a smooth, continuous surface that eliminates the visual disruption of multiple grooves while maintaining the functional sliding capability.
4Device complexity
If simple blocking structures are used for drafts, then the structure remains simple, but the ability to block drafts is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the rail cover as an intermediary blocking structure that provides effective draft prevention. The drainage groove serves as a mediator that manages water flow while the overall structure remains relatively simple in design and installation.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a window/door system with a flat track having “”-shaped roller supports to provide a nice appearance and to improve air tightness and water tightness by reducing the number of grooves exposed on a window/door frame when a window/door is opened, by using the roller supports in a cross sectional shape of “” which is open at one side.