Curtain Wall Support with Reinforcing Rib for Rail Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Curtain wall constructions with glass facade panels face issues of rail bending under weight, leading to potential damage and the need for deeper, more expensive rails or limited rigidity solutions, which are aesthetically unattractive and costly.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a T-shaped support with a reinforcing rib that transfers vertical forces directly to posts, allowing the wings to bend without passing the stress to the rails, and includes a movable design with vertical movement and a screw profile for easy rail customization, along with a seal detail to maintain insulation and aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If traditional supports with wings connected to rails are used, then the construction is simple, but the rails bend under weight causing potential damage to facade panels
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the load-bearing function from the rails and transfers it entirely to the posts through the support body. The wings are disconnected from the rails, removing the harmful interaction where bent rails could damage facade panels, while the support body directly transfers vertical forces to the posts.
Solution Approach 2:
The support body acts as an intermediary element that receives vertical forces from the wings and transfers them directly to the posts. This mediator eliminates the need for rails to bear structural loads, solving the bending problem while maintaining construction simplicity.
2Strength
If deeper rails are used to prevent bending, then rail rigidity improves, but material costs and aesthetic appeal deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the load-bearing function from the rails, allowing them to be shallower and more aesthetically pleasing. The rails only need to provide attachment points for seals and accommodate the support wings, not bear structural loads, thereby reducing material usage while maintaining sufficient rigidity for their reduced function.
3Strength
If wing height is increased to improve rigidity, then support strength improves, but the vertical distance between facade panels must increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention resolves the rigidity constraint by moving the reinforcing rib in the vertical dimension (allowing it to protrude above and below the wing) while keeping the wing's vertical profile compact. This allows the reinforcing rib to provide structural strength without increasing the vertical distance between facade panels, as the rib operates in a different spatial plane.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the wing is designed to move vertically with respect to the rail, then flexibility improves, but connection reliability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention completely removes the connection between wings and rails, eliminating the reliability issue of movable connections. The wings are only connected to the support body, which is anchored to the post, allowing vertical movement without compromising connection reliability since there is no wing-rail connection to fail.
Data Source
AI summary
Support (11) for facade panels (7) of a curtain wall (1) that has posts (2) and rails (3), whereby the support (11) comprises a body (12) to fasten the support (11) to a post (2) and comprises at least one wing (14) extending sideways in order to support a facade panel (7), directly or otherwise, whereby the wing (14) is provided with a reinforcing rib (19) against vertical bending, and this reinforcing rib (19) extends in the longitudinal direction (L) of the wing (14) and this reinforcing rib (19) extends upwards and/or downwards.