Building Cladding Fasteners for Post-Installation Accessory Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wall cladding systems lack the ability to easily modify their appearance or functionality after installation without compromising structural integrity or watertightness, making it difficult to add or remove accessories like signs, lighting, or functional elements without drilling into the cladding sheets.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes the existing fasteners for attaching cladding sheets to the structure to also serve as means for attaching removable accessories, allowing for modification of the cladding's appearance and functionality without drilling, thereby preserving the structural integrity and sealing of the sheet-to-structure interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If accessories are attached to cladding sheets after installation, then the appearance and functionality of the building can be modified, but drilling into the sheets compromises structural integrity and watertightness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating accessory attachment means into the fastening system during the initial cladding installation phase. The fasteners are designed with integrated attachment mechanisms that are prepared in advance, allowing accessories to be attached later without drilling or compromising the cladding sheets. This resolves the contradiction by enabling future modifications while preserving the integrity of the original installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system is designed with multi-functionality, serving both to secure cladding sheets to the structure and to provide attachment points for accessories. The fasteners include integrated attachment means that can hold various accessories without requiring separate drilling operations. This universal design allows the same fastening system to fulfill multiple functions: structural attachment and accessory mounting, thereby enabling modifications without compromising watertightness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If accessories are attached using separate drilling operations, then adaptability is improved, but the complexity of the installation process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the accessory attachment function with the existing fastening system. The fasteners are designed with integrated attachment means that combine structural fastening and accessory mounting capabilities into a single system. This eliminates the need for separate drilling operations and reduces installation complexity while maintaining full adaptability for accessory attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system is designed as a universal solution that performs multiple functions: securing cladding sheets and providing attachment points for accessories. This multi-functional design simplifies the overall installation process by eliminating the need for additional drilling equipment and procedures, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving adaptability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cladding system is designed for permanent fixation, then structural integrity is maintained, but the ability to modify appearance and functionality is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the attachment function from the cladding sheet itself. The accessory attachment means are integrated into the fastening system rather than being directly attached to the sheets through drilling. This segmentation allows the cladding system to maintain its permanent, intact structure while still enabling accessory attachment through the separate fastening mechanism, thereby preserving both structural integrity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system acts as an intermediary between the cladding sheets and the accessories. Rather than directly attaching accessories to the sheets (which would compromise integrity), the fasteners serve as mediators that provide attachment points while preserving the integrity of both the cladding sheets and the structure. This intermediary approach maintains stability while enabling adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a covering device comprising: at least one metal sheet (1; 1'), especially a metal sheet used for cladding, suitable for covering at least one section of a surface of a building structure, fastenings for definitively attaching the metal sheet to the structure, at least one accessory (8; 9; 90; 91; 92) suitable for applying to a receiving area (Z, Z1) on the metal sheet, and means (213, 22) for removably attaching the accessory to the receiving area, that are suitable for attaching the accessory once the metal sheet is already attached to the structure by means of the fastenings, maintaining the structural integrity of the metal sheet, and also the integrity, especially in terms of tightness, of the attachment of the metal sheet to the structure by means of the fastenings, said attaching means including a head (213) of the fastenings (21), that can enable the assembly, and if need be, the disassembly, of the accessory, without affecting the attachment of the metal sheet to the structure by means of the fastenings.