Cellular Shade Assembly With Nested Collapse for Wide Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cellular shades are limited in width by the width of the material used, making it difficult to produce shades that can fit any architectural opening, and they often have a wide profile when contracted, requiring deep mounting spaces.
Innovation Solution
The cellular shade design features closed cell structures formed from separate pieces of material, allowing for a 'D' configuration with a front face and back face that can collapse in the same direction, enabling shades of any desired width and length, with the back face being lightweight to avoid indentation and allow light transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cellular shades are constructed from two sheets of material joined together, then the construction method is simple, but the width of the shades is limited by the width of the material
Solution Approach 1:
The cellular shade is divided into multiple individual cells, each formed from separate pieces of material. These cells are then joined together to create the complete shade. This segmentation allows the shade width to exceed the width of any single material piece, as multiple narrower pieces are assembled into a wider configuration.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the front and back of each cell collapse outwardly in opposite directions, then the cell structure is stable, but the contracted profile becomes very wide requiring deep mounting space
Solution Approach 1:
The back face of each cell is designed to nest within the front face when the cell contracts. This nesting arrangement allows both faces to collapse in the same direction rather than outwardly in opposite directions, significantly reducing the contracted depth profile while maintaining structural stability through the interlocking cell geometry.
3Strength
If the back face material is heavy, then the cell structure is strong, but it causes indentation or pressure marks on the front face when collapsed
Solution Approach 1:
The back face material is specifically selected to be lightweight and sheer, creating a local quality difference between the front and back faces. The front face uses heavier, more rigid material for structural integrity and aesthetic appearance, while the lightweight back face prevents indentation when collapsed, allowing it to nest within the front face without causing pressure marks.
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable and contractable shade assembly includes a plurality of closed D-shaped cell structures aligned vertically one above another with juncture lines defined between adjacent structures. Each closed cell structure includes a front face and a separate back face that are attached to one another at top and bottom tabs. The front face of one cell structure is attached but non-continuous to the front face of an adjacent cell structure. Accordingly the horizontal width of the shade assembly is not limited by the width of the materials forming the individual cell structures. Upon collapse, the back face folds toward the front of the shade such that the back face and the front face are nested within one another, leading to a narrow depth profile for the collapsed shade.