Curtain Closure Device with Foldable Flexible Apron
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building bay closure devices require significant footprint and complex, costly installations due to the need for multiple stiffeners and rigid panels, and are limited by lintel drop height and prone to flexible panel deterioration.
Innovation Solution
A closure device with a guide structure featuring vertical and horizontal guide rails that allow a flexible curtain to fold back on itself, using a motorized drive with traction cables, where the lower part is a rigid wall and the upper part is a flexible wall that folds laterally, reducing footprint and enabling low lintel drop installations, and incorporating elastic cables and guide rollers for efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple stiffeners and rigid panels are used to maintain curtain structure, then structural strength is improved, but footprint and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible curtain with integrated stiffeners that can bend and fold, replacing rigid panels with a flexible membrane structure. This allows the curtain to maintain structural integrity while collapsing into a compact folded state, significantly reducing the footprint from multiple rigid panel widths to a single folded bundle width.
Solution Approach 2:
The curtain transitions from a two-dimensional flat structure when closed to a three-dimensional folded structure when open. The stiffeners are arranged to enable bending along specific axes, allowing the curtain to occupy minimal space in the closed position while providing full coverage when deployed.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple guide rails and rigid panels are used, then structural stability is improved, but installation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The curtain is divided into multiple segments or bays, each with its own guide structure. This segmentation allows for modular installation where each unit can be independently assembled and then connected to form a complete system, reducing overall installation complexity while maintaining structural stability through the segmented design.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide structure includes dynamic elements such as rollers and sliding mechanisms that allow the flexible curtain to move smoothly between open and closed positions. This dynamic design replaces complex rigid guidance systems with simpler, more maintainable moving components.
3Ease of operation
If flexible canvas panels are used in folding door structure, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability decreases due to panel deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible curtain uses composite material construction combining a durable fabric outer layer with an internal reinforcement structure. This composite design provides both the flexibility needed for easy operation and the strength required for long-term durability, preventing the deterioration issues associated with traditional canvas panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the flexible curtain are optimized through parameter changes in material selection and construction. The fabric is chosen for high tensile strength and tear resistance, while the stitching and reinforcement patterns are designed to distribute stress evenly, preventing localized wear and extending service life.
4Strength
If rigid panels with guide rails are used, then structural strength is improved, but lintel drop height requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the curtain pull itself up using a traditional overhead mechanism requiring significant clearance, the system inverts the approach by having the curtain descend from the lintel under controlled conditions. The guide structure and braking system are designed to manage the descending motion safely, reducing the required lintel drop height while maintaining structural strength.
Data Source
Figure 1~1a
Figure 2~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The closure device (1) for an opening (2) in a building comprises a guide structure (3) provided with one pair of vertical guide rails (30) and an apron (4) in the form of a flexible curtain capable of being moved within the guide structure (3) between an opening-not-obstructed position and a closed position by the action of a motorized drive means (5) with traction cables (54). This device is noteworthy in that: the lower part (40) of the apron (4) is formed by a rigid obstruction wall to which the traction cables (54) are connected; the upper part (45) of the apron (4) is formed by at least one flexible obstruction wall and is connected by its horizontal bottom edge to the obstruction wall (40) and by its horizontal top edge to the lintel of the opening (2); and in the opening-not-obstructed position the apron is folded on itself in the upper part of the guide rails, this upper part being horizontal or inclined with respect to the horizontal.