Coupling Device for Parallel Facade Element Opening
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Slender facade elements with existing scissor-type devices often fail to achieve a parallel opening due to the center of gravity being outside the bearing points, causing the sashes in the lower area to have a smaller opening width than the upper area, leading to uneven opening movements.
Innovation Solution
A coupling device with a profile rail and coupling elements is used to adjust the scissor movement, allowing the lower scissor stays to deploy in front of or further than the upper ones, ensuring parallel alignment by spreading the control points and using a c-shaped or Ω-shaped cross-section profile rail for precise interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional scissor-type devices are used for facade elements, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the facade element cannot achieve parallel opening due to center of gravity being outside bearing points
Solution Approach 1:
A coupling device is introduced as an intermediary component between the scissor stays and the facade element. This coupling device includes a coupling element with control points that can be positioned at different locations, allowing the scissor stays to be coupled in a way that compensates for the center of gravity issue and achieves parallel opening alignment without changing the basic scissor structure
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element is designed with specific local properties - it has control points that can be positioned at different locations along the scissor stays, and the coupling device can be configured with different coupling points on the facade element. This local customization allows the system to compensate for the gravitational effect while maintaining overall structural simplicity
2Quantity of substance
If scissor stays are arranged vertically one above the other, then larger or heavier facade elements can be supported, but the lower sashes always have smaller opening width than upper area
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device enables dynamic adjustment of the scissor stay deployment timing and position. By controlling the coupling points and allowing the lower scissor stays to deploy in front of or further than the upper ones, the system can compensate for the gravitational effect on lower sashes and achieve uniform opening width across all levels while maintaining vertical arrangement for weight capacity
3Manufacturing precision
If additional elements are added to adapt scissor devices to slender facade elements, then parallel opening can be achieved, but the construction cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is designed as a universal component that can be integrated with existing scissor stays and facade elements. It serves multiple functions: it couples the scissor stays, provides the necessary control points for parallel alignment, and can be adapted to different facade element configurations without requiring complete redesign of the scissor mechanism, thereby controlling construction costs
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The device has a coupling device (1) including coupling parts (3a, 3b) movable along a longitudinal direction and adjustable in length. Two positioning legs are pivotably connected with each other and are pivotably movable and fixed relative to a profile rail (2) and the coupling elements, respectively. The coupling parts are brought into detachable connection by moving one of the coupling parts towards another coupling part. Initial movement of the former coupling part without the latter coupling part pre-controls a scissor type-opening relative to another scissor type-opening. An independent claim is also included for a method for parallely positioning a facade element.