Cold-Formed Dual-Seal Anchor for Moisture-Tight Facade Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing facade anchoring systems for insulated cavity walls face challenges in securely fastening the facade to the inner wall while minimizing air and moisture penetration, and ensuring a stable and durable connection.
Innovation Solution
A cold-formed wall anchor with a driver portion and a large diameter barrel portion is designed to be driven into the inner wythe of the insulated cavity wall, featuring a transition portion and seals to prevent moisture penetration and ensure a fluid-tight seal, along with a small diameter barrel portion for engagement with studs, providing a stable and secure connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional wall anchor is used to secure the facade to the inner wall, then the facade connection is achieved, but air and moisture penetration occurs compromising the insulation integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The wall anchor is segmented into multiple functional portions: a driver portion for installation, a large diameter barrel portion for sealing against the inner wall, and a small diameter barrel portion for engagement with studs. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally, with the large diameter barrel portion specifically designed to prevent air and moisture penetration while maintaining structural connection.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the wall anchor have different diameters and properties tailored to their specific functions. The large diameter barrel portion provides a sealing surface against the inner wall to prevent harmful factor penetration, while the small diameter barrel portion is optimized for engagement with studs. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing both secure connection and protection against air/moisture penetration.
2Strength
If a cold-formed anchor design is used, then manufacturing efficiency and structural integrity are improved, but the complexity of forming multiple diameter portions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wall anchor combines multiple functional portions (driver portion, large diameter barrel portion, small diameter barrel portion) into a single unitary structure formed from one piece of material through cold-forming. This merging approach maintains structural integrity by eliminating joints while the cold-forming process efficiently creates the complex multi-diameter geometry in a streamlined manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold-forming process utilizes parameter changes in the material during manufacturing, transforming a simple metal strip or tube into a complex multi-diameter anchor structure. By controlling the forming parameters, the process creates the driver portion, large diameter barrel portion, and small diameter barrel portion sequentially, achieving high structural integrity without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity.
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 solution effectively secures the facade to the inner wall, minimizes air and moisture penetration, and maintains insulation integrity by forming a fluid-tight seal, thereby enhancing the durability and aesthetic appeal of the facade.
Implementation Method 1
cold forming a driver portion of the anchor out of a length of metal
Data Source
AI summary
A cold formed anchor for use in an insulated cavity wall includes a unitary body formed with a driver portion and having large and small diameter portions. The driver portion may be formed with structure for connecting a veneer tie to the anchor. A method of making the cold formed anchor includes cold forming a driver portion and a reduced diameter portion from a blank.