Door Sash Channel Structure With Tool-Access Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing channel and door sash structures face challenges in preventing an increase in size, particularly due to the need for longer side surfaces and additional features like fin portions, which complicates manufacturing and sizing.
Innovation Solution
A channel design with a second sidewall that has an inner surface facing the first sidewall and an outer surface for contact with the door constituting member, featuring openings or notches that allow for easy tool access and fixing, preventing size increase and ensuring reliable locking of the glass run.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the lower part of one side surface is made longer than the other side surface to facilitate tool access and fixing, then the ease of manufacture and assembly is improved, but the size of the channel cross section increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces openings in the first sidewall that provide a new dimensional pathway (through the wall thickness) for tool access to the fixing portion. This allows the second sidewall to be accessed from the inside of the channel rather than requiring external access, eliminating the need to extend the external dimensions of the channel for tool access purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The openings act as intermediaries that mediate between the external environment and the internal fixing portion. By providing these openings, the patent creates a pathway that allows tools to reach the fixing portion without requiring the second sidewall to extend beyond the channel's external boundaries, thus maintaining compact external dimensions while facilitating assembly.
2Strength
If the fin portion is provided substantially all over the lower sash in the longitudinal direction, then the structural integrity is improved, but the number of manufacturing processes increases due to the need to cut out unnecessary portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary portions of the fin structure by providing openings at specific locations where tool access is needed, rather than providing the fin portion substantially all over the lower sash. This selective extraction maintains structural integrity in the critical areas while eliminating unnecessary material and simplifying manufacturing by removing the need to cut out portions after formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fin portion by providing discrete openings at specific locations along the longitudinal direction, rather than having a continuous fin structure all over the lower sash. This segmentation maintains structural integrity at the opening locations while reducing manufacturing complexity by eliminating the need to process and remove unnecessary fin portions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A channel according to an embodiment includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and an end wall. The first sidewall has a first end portion, a second end portion, and a first locking portion that is located between the first end portion and the second end portion to lock a glass run. The second sidewall has a third end portion, a fourth end portion, a second locking portion that is located between the third end portion and the fourth end portion to lock the glass run, and a fixing portion that is located between the fourth end portion and the second locking portion and configured to be fixed to a door constituting member. The end wall is connected to the first end portion and the third end portion. The fixing portion is located farther away from the first sidewall as the fixing portion is located farther away from the end wall.