Drop-down Seal Device Lateral Actuation Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sealing devices for sliding gates and doors require significant effort to actuate and are not suitable for long designs, as the force required for activation increases with the length of the seal, and they often require substantial space and complex mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A lowering seal device with a pivoting element having a first and second arm, where the trigger element projects laterally and acts on the actuating element, allowing for efficient power transmission and reduced activation force, enabling the use in long sliding gates and allowing for flexible design and placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If a conventional vertical rod or wedge mechanism is used to actuate the seal, then the seal can be lowered, but the force required increases with the length of the seal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactivation forceVSAvoidseal length
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The release element is repositioned from the front end of the seal to the lateral side of the housing rail, changing the direction of force application from longitudinal to lateral. This dimensional change allows the actuating element to leverage the lateral movement of the release element, reducing the force required to actuate seals of any length

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If a lateral projection arm is used to trigger the seal, then the seal can be actuated, but a relatively large amount of space is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactivation easeVSAvoidspace requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a lateral projection arm that extends perpendicular to the seal length, the release element is positioned at the lateral side of the housing rail itself. This eliminates the need for additional projection space while maintaining lateral actuation, as the housing rail's own lateral dimension is utilized

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If the release element projects along the length of the seal, then the actuation can be achieved, but the release unit becomes larger and more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactuation capabilityVSAvoidrelease unit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The release element is extracted from the longitudinal arrangement and repositioned to the lateral side of the housing rail. This separation of the release function from the longitudinal seal structure simplifies the release unit, making it smaller and less complex while maintaining full actuation capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

The solution allows for easy activation of long sealing devices with minimal effort, providing a space-saving and cost-effective design that can be used in various configurations, including multiple sliding gates, with reduced force requirements and enhanced flexibility.

Implementation Method 1

a pivoting element which transmits an external triggering force acting on the pivoting element to the actuating element... The pivoting element is pivotable about an axis that runs perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing rail. The pivoting element has a first arm and a second arm

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLeverage: Lever

Data Source

PatentEP3085876B1Drop-down seal device
Publication Date: 2020.08.19 ASSA ABLOY (SCHWEIZ) AG
  • EP3085876B1 patent drawingFigure 1~8
  • EP3085876B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP3085876B1 patent drawingFigure 7~10

AI summary

A drop-down sealing device for a leaf (T) of a sliding gate, sliding door, or sliding window comprises a housing rail (10), a sealing strip (11, 12) held in the housing rail (10) so as to be lowered and raised, a lowering mechanism arranged in the housing rail (10) for lowering the sealing strip (11, 12), an actuating element (13) operatively connected to the lowering mechanism and arranged in the housing rail (10), which actuates the lowering mechanism by its displacement in the longitudinal direction of the housing rail (10), and a pivoting element (25, 26) which transmits an external triggering force acting on the pivoting element (25, 26) to the actuating element (13). The pivoting element (25, 26) is pivotable about an axis (27) which runs perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) of the housing rail (10).The pivoting element (25, 26) has a first arm (25) and a second arm (26), wherein a release element (22) is arranged on the first arm (25), or wherein the first arm (25) can be contacted or connected to a release element (22), and wherein the second arm (26) acts on the actuating element (13). The release element (22) projects from the first arm (25) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) of the housing rail (10). This device enables the release of drop seals of sliding gates with minimal force, and the device can be designed to be relatively small and simple.