Detachable Panel Fastening Device for Sliding Glass Air Leaks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sliding panel assemblies, such as sliding glass doors and windows, experience air leaks due to temperature stresses and installation defects, leading to heat loss, and existing solutions like plastic shrink wrap or complex lock mechanisms are either inaccessible or costly to retrofit.
Innovation Solution
A detachable panel fastening device with a suction cup and a frame clip mechanism that can be easily attached and detached, using a threaded rod and handle system to push the frames together, reducing air gaps and allowing for easy access and installation without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If plastic shrink wrap is used to fill the air gap, then heat loss is reduced, but the sliding panel assembly becomes inaccessible for regular use
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate components: a suction cup attachment for the glass panel and a frame clip for the frame. This segmentation allows the insulation device to be detached and reattached, maintaining accessibility while providing thermal insulation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a static permanent solution (shrink wrap) to a dynamic removable solution. The suction cup and frame clip can be easily attached and detached, allowing the system to adapt between providing insulation and allowing access to the sliding panel assembly.
2Loss of energy
If a complex lock mechanism is installed to draw frames together, then heat loss is minimized, but the device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex lock mechanism is extracted and replaced with a simple suction cup and frame clip system. The essential function of drawing frames together is maintained while removing the unnecessary complexity of mechanical lock mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical lock mechanism is replaced with a simpler system using suction force and friction. The suction cup adheres to the glass panel while the frame clip engages with the frame, eliminating the need for complex mechanical locking components.
3Loss of energy
If a lock mechanism is retrofitted to existing sliding doors, then heat loss is reduced, but installation requires tools and complex alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses simple, inexpensive components that can be easily manufactured and installed without specialized tools. The frame clip and suction cup are designed for easy installation and removal, eliminating the need for permanent modifications or complex tool-based installation processes.
4Loss of energy
If permanent modifications are made to frames to reduce air gaps, then thermal insulation is improved, but adaptability and ease of removal are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed to be installed without permanent modifications to the frames. The suction cup and frame clip are configured to work with existing frame geometries, allowing installation on various sliding panel assemblies without altering the original structure.
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
Effectively minimizes air leaks and heat transfer, providing cost savings by allowing for easy installation and removal without requiring permanent modifications to the existing frames, enabling the sliding panels to be used freely while maintaining thermal insulation.
Implementation Method 1
a suction cup that is configured to be coupled to and released from the first glass panel of one panel unit
Data Source
AI summary
A panel fastening device that is configured to move together a first frame of a first panel unit having a first glass panel mounted within the first frame and a second frame of a second panel unit having a second glass panel mounted within the second frame. The device includes a suction cup is configured to be coupled to and released from the first glass panel of the first panel unit, and a structure is configured to be pressed against and released from the second frame of the second panel unit.