Collapsible Soffit Frame Assembly for Uniform Multi-Planar Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional construction of soffits and facias requires custom cutting and fitting of wood or metal studs, which is time-consuming and requires significant care to ensure uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible structural frame system that allows for quick and easy construction of dimensionally uniform frameworks for flat areas, soffits, and other building structures, featuring a first, second, and third frame portions that can be altered between a flat and deployed state, with locking mechanisms to secure positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional stick-building method is used, then custom fitting and adaptability are achieved, but construction time and labor complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The structural frame is divided into multiple collapsible segments (first frame portion, second frame portion, third frame portion) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for standardized production while enabling custom configurations through modular assembly, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and construction time.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame portions are designed with collapsible connections that allow dynamic transformation from a collapsed transport state to a deployed structural state. This dynamic capability enables quick on-site assembly without custom cutting, maintaining adaptability while significantly reducing construction time through pre-fabricated modular components.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional custom cutting and fitting is performed, then precise dimensional uniformity is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The frame portions are pre-fabricated with predetermined dimensions and angles during manufacturing, eliminating the need for custom cutting on-site. This preliminary action ensures dimensional uniformity is achieved through factory precision rather than field craftsmanship, reducing both manufacturing complexity and time consumption while maintaining precise dimensional control.
3Productivity
If collapsible frame structure is used, then assembly speed and ease of construction are improved, but structural stability in deployed state must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage and lock the frame portions in their deployed configuration, providing self-stabilization without requiring additional external support structures. This self-service locking capability maintains structural stability while preserving the speed advantage of the collapsible design, as the structure stabilizes itself upon deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible structural frame for forming a soffit having a multi-planar surface. The collapsible structural frame includes a first frame portion configured to receive a first sheet of building material, a second frame portion configured to receive a second sheet of building material, the second frame portion extending along a second reference plane, and a third frame portion configured to receive a third sheet of building material. The collapsible structural frame is alterable from: (1) a flat state in which the first, second, and third frame portions extend along the second reference plane in a linear arrangement; and (2) a deployed state in which the first frame portion is out of plane with the second reference plane and the third frame portion is out of plane with the second reference plane.