Profiled Cladding Tray with Compressed Expandable Seal

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Solution Overview

Problem

The manual gluing process for sealing cladding trays during construction is time-consuming, prone to non-linearities, and can result in imperfect sealing, leading to defects in thermal and acoustic insulation.

Innovation Solution

A profiled cladding tray with an expandable seal held in a compressed state by a compression film, which is applied and maintained automatically during the manufacturing process, ensuring consistent airtightness and ease of assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual gluing of sealing gasket is performed on site, then sealing can be applied to cladding panels, but installation time increases and sealing homogeneity cannot be guaranteed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing homogeneityVSAvoidinstallation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing gasket is pre-applied to the cladding panels in a compressed state during manufacturing, before installation on site. This preliminary action ensures homogeneous sealing while reducing installation time, as the gasket is already in position and only needs to be activated during installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing gasket is designed to change its physical state from compressed to expanded. During manufacturing, it is kept in a compressed state for easy handling and application. During installation, the compression film is removed, allowing the gasket to expand and create the sealing effect, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of application and sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If manual gluing of sealing gasket is performed, then sealing can be applied, but sealant overconsumption occurs due to non-linearities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidsealant consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing gasket is pre-applied in a controlled manufacturing environment where precise application is possible, eliminating the non-linearities and overconsumption associated with manual on-site application. The gasket is applied with exact positioning and uniform distribution, ensuring sealing effectiveness while minimizing material waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a compression film that is removed during installation, allowing the sealing gasket to expand. This disposable compression film approach ensures precise control over sealant application and prevents overconsumption, as the film acts as a temporary constraint that is deliberately removed to activate the sealing function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If expandable sealing joint is used, then airtightness can be ensured, but the seal must be held in compressed state during transport and installation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveairtightnessVSAvoidcompression holding mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a thin compression film to hold the expandable sealing gasket in a compressed state during transport and installation. This flexible film provides a simple yet effective constraint mechanism that maintains the gasket's compressed state without adding significant complexity. The film is easily applied and removed, activating the sealing function when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

This solution reduces installation time, minimizes seal overconsumption, and guarantees homogeneous sealing, enhancing the thermal and acoustic insulation performance of cladding systems by maintaining the seal in a compressed state until installation, ensuring airtightness between cladding plates.

Implementation Method 1

removable means for holding said sealing joint in a compressed state... a compression film covering the sealing joint completely and held taut against said sealing joint by attachment to the cladding panel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical constraint: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

expandable sealing joint... ensuring consistent airtightness and ease of assembly... guarantees homogeneous sealing, enhancing the thermal and acoustic insulation performance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExpansion: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

the compression film has an adhesive layer ensuring its attachment to the tray and keeping it taut against the sealing gasket

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 4

A layer of insulation is placed between the two skins, providing thermal and acoustic insulation for the cladding

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 5

A layer of insulation is placed between the two skins, providing thermal and acoustic insulation for the cladding

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic insulation: Acoustic Absorption

Data Source

PatentEP3714114B1Plateau de bardage profilé comportant un joint d'étanchéité, et procédé de réalisation d'un tel plateau
Publication Date: 2022.12.28 ARCELORMITTAL SA
  • EP3714114B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3714114B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3714114B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates mainly to a profiled cladding panel (1j) of general U shape, comprising a central main part (5), a first edge (6) folded around a first fold line (6a) and having an outer face (3) on the outside of said panel (1j), and a second edge (7) opposite to the first edge (6) and folded around a first fold line (7a), which cladding panel (1j) comprises an expandable seal (10) extending over at least part of the length of the outer face (3) of the first folded edge (6), and removable means (13) for retaining said seal (10) in a compressed state. Advantageously, the removable means (13) for retaining the seal in its compressed state comprise a compression film (13) entirely covering the seal (10) and held taut against said seal (10) by being secured to the cladding panel (1j) on either side of said seal (10).