Ceiling element, in particular of a cooled or heated ceiling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cooling or heating ceilings face challenges in maintaining hygiene standards due to dirt accumulation, particularly in the outlet area, which is difficult to access and clean, leading to impaired room ventilation.

Innovation Solution

A ceiling element design featuring a detachable ceiling panel with magnetic connecting means that allows easy removal and cleaning, ensuring airtight connection and secure thermal linkage, along with a hinge-like connection for safe opening and closure, facilitating thorough cleaning of both the panel and air box.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the ceiling panel is permanently fixed to the air box, then the structural integrity and airtightness are maintained, but the cleaning accessibility and ease of maintenance are severely limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning accessibilityVSAvoidairtightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ceiling panel is divided into separate components: the panel itself and the air box, connected through detachable magnetic connecting means. This segmentation allows the panel to be removed for cleaning while the air box remains in place, resolving the contradiction between cleaning accessibility and maintaining airtightness when reassembled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between the ceiling panel and air box is made dynamic rather than static. The magnetic connecting means allow the panel to be easily attached and detached as needed, providing the flexibility to access the air box for cleaning while maintaining a secure connection during normal operation to ensure airtightness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of repair

If the ceiling panel is made detachable for easy cleaning, then the maintenance effort is reduced, but the structural stability and connection security are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance effortVSAvoidconnection security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The traditional mechanical fastening system (screws, clips, or adhesives) is replaced with magnetic connecting means. This substitution maintains strong connection security through magnetic attraction while allowing easy attachment and detachment without tools, reducing maintenance effort while preserving connection strength.

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

3Shape

If the outlet area is enclosed for interior design purposes, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the hygiene standard and dirt accumulation issues are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoiddirt accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ceiling panel with its aesthetic design is separated from the air box outlet area. The panel can be designed for interior aesthetics while the air box remains accessible for cleaning, allowing the aesthetic function and hygiene function to be independently optimized without compromising either.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 design enables easy and thorough cleaning of the ceiling element, maintaining hygiene standards while ensuring a secure and efficient air supply path and thermal connection, reducing maintenance efforts and energy consumption.

Implementation Method 1

the first connecting means have at least one strip-shaped magnetic element. The use of magnetic elements enables particularly simple attachment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetism: Magnetism

Implementation Method 2

a pipe arrangement fastened to the supporting structure through which a heat-transporting medium can flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transport: Convection

Implementation Method 3

the desired effect occurs primarily through the exchange of radiation between the cooled or heated ceiling surfaces and the room

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadiation exchange: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP3361175B1Ceiling element, in particular of a cooled or heated ceiling
Publication Date: 2019.12.18 ZENT FRENGER GMBH
  • EP3361175B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3361175B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3361175B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a ceiling element (1), in particular a cooling or heating ceiling, comprising: - a supporting structure (4) for fastening the ceiling element (1) to a room ceiling, - a pipe arrangement (24) fastened to the supporting structure (4), which a heat-transporting medium can flow through, - an air box (5) fastened to the support structure (4), through which air can flow and which has an inlet (6) and an outlet region (7); and - a ceiling panel (12) that can be fastened to the supporting structure (4) and has an upper side, a lower side and a plurality of openings in the area of ​​the outlet area (7) of the air box (5), the upper side of the ceiling panel (12) having first flat connecting means surrounding the air box (5) is releasably connected to the air box (5).