Canopy Holding Device with Edge Recesses for Drilling-Free Glass Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overhead construction holding devices for canopies, such as those using cantilever beams or adhesives, often compromise the stability of glass components by drilling holes or requiring complex and weather-unsound bonding, leading to unreliable connections and potential falling hazards.
Innovation Solution
A holding device with a support profile that incorporates recesses in the canopy panel for L-shaped securing elements, allowing for mechanical attachment without drilling the glass, ensuring a secure and weather-resistant connection through adjustable support legs and pressure-resistant elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If holes are drilled in the glass canopy for screw connections, then the canopy can be securely fastened to the support profile, but the glass material is weakened and connection stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a support profile as an intermediary element between the glass canopy and the mounting structure. The support profile contains recesses that mechanically engage with the glass edge without requiring holes in the glass, thus mediating the connection in a way that preserves glass integrity while ensuring secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is segmented into separate functional elements: the glass canopy, the support profile with recesses, and the mounting structure. This segmentation allows the support profile to bear the mechanical loading while the glass canopy remains intact, separating the fastening function from the glass panel itself.
2Reliability
If adhesive bonding is used to connect the glass canopy to the holder, then connection is achieved, but the assembly process becomes complex and the bonding is not weather-resistant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding mechanism (adhesive) with a mechanical engagement system. The support profile features recesses that physically interlock with the glass canopy edge, providing a purely mechanical connection that is both simple to assemble and resistant to weather conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The support profile's recesses are designed to automatically engage with the glass canopy edge during installation, creating a self-aligning and self-securing connection that does not require complex assembly procedures or additional bonding materials.
3Ease of operation
If a mere clamp is used to hold the canopy, then assembly is simple, but the connection is prone to displacement and not reliably secure
Solution Approach 1:
The support profile features asymmetric recesses with specific geometric configurations that provide directional engagement with the glass canopy edge. This asymmetric design prevents displacement in critical directions while maintaining simple assembly, creating a connection that is both easy to install and reliably secure.
Solution Approach 2:
The support profile incorporates locally optimized engagement features at specific positions along the glass canopy edge. These localized recesses provide enhanced mechanical interlocking at critical points while maintaining overall assembly simplicity, ensuring reliability without complex overall structure.
Data Source
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Figure 4~7
AI summary
A proposed overhead construction (20) with at least one canopy panel (10) and a holding device (22) that can be arranged on a building structure (32) is shown, wherein the canopy panel (10) has at least one recess (12, 14) on at least one of the two lateral edges (16, 18), each of which serves to receive a securing element (40) and thus ensures mechanical securing of the canopy panel (10) in the overhead construction (20).