Low-Threshold Door Sash Sealing for Airtight Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door and window arrangements with outward-opening sashes pose a tripping hazard for individuals with disabilities and seniors due to the threshold or step, compromising accessibility and airtightness.
Innovation Solution
A door or window arrangement design that eliminates the sash overlap on the underside, using a weather bar with an elastic seal and an end cap to create a continuous sealing plane, incorporating a threshold with an outward slope to reduce the barrier effect and ensure airtightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a threshold or step is provided on the frame side of the lower frame mullion to enable tight sealing of the sash, then airtightness is improved, but accessibility deteriorates due to tripping hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the traditional threshold or step structure from the frame. Instead of having a raised sealing surface on the frame side, the sash is designed without an underside overlap, allowing the sash bottom to rest directly on the frame's lower cross member surface, thereby eliminating the tripping hazard while maintaining sealing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the traditional sealing approach by reversing which component has the sealing feature. Conventionally, the frame has a raised threshold for sealing; here, the sash is designed without an underside overlap, and the sealing is achieved through the frame's flat surface and the sash's lateral overlaps with attached seals, effectively inverting the sealing mechanism location
2Reliability
If lateral sash overlaps with overlap seals are used to achieve continuous sealing, then airtightness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the sealing function into the lateral sash overlaps themselves. Instead of having separate threshold structures and separate sealing components, the overlap seals are directly attached to the lateral sash overlaps, combining the sealing function with the existing sash structure and achieving continuous sealing along the sash perimeter
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral sash overlaps serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for the sash, enable the sash to seal against the frame laterally, and work in conjunction with the end caps to seal the bottom interface. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated sealing components
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
Enhances accessibility by eliminating the tripping hazard while maintaining airtightness through a continuous seal between the sash and frame, allowing for a stable and cost-effective installation.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating an elastic seal (also extending along this direction). When the sash is closed, the seal's direction of extension is oriented along or parallel to the longitudinal axis. The seal projects downwards from the weather bar (along the direction of gravity) so that, when the sash is closed, it forms a seal against the sill surface
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a door or window assembly (10) with a frame (12) and a sash (16) mounted on the frame (12) and pivotable relative to the frame (12) between an open position and a closed position. The sash (16) has a weather bar (36) on an outer side (14) on which an end cap (40) is arranged. The end cap (40) has a downwardly projecting section (41) with a sill contact surface (42) by means of which the downwardly projecting section (41) rests in a sealing manner on the sill surface (29) when the sash (16) is in the closed position.The end cap (40) has a lateral section (43) by means of which the end cap (40) overlaps the associated lateral wing overlap (18) and seals against the lateral wing overlap (18) and its overlap seal (20), and wherein a receptacle (45) is formed on or in the end cap (20) which has a cross-section complementary to the seal (38) and seals an end section of the seal (38).