Elastic Panel Support Rail for Curved Glass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing railing and facade systems struggle to support non-planar panels, such as concave, convex, or corrugated glass, without requiring complex and costly deformation processes to adapt the U-profile rail to the panel's contour, and they also face difficulties in adjusting panels within the receiving chamber due to the rail's stiffness.
Innovation Solution
The system employs flexible or elastic components, like aluminum retaining strips and arched rails, which are attached to the panel and adapted to its contour, providing local support and allowing for vertical adjustment without deforming the U-profile rail. These components form a U-profile with an elastic connecting body for secure locking, enabling the panel to maintain its shape and withstand forces while being easily aligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a U-profile rail is used to support panels, then the panel can be firmly locked and supported, but the rail's stiffness makes it difficult to adjust the panel's vertical alignment and positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is divided into multiple discrete support devices distributed along the panel length, with individual adjustment mechanisms that can be operated independently. This segmentation allows localized adjustment without affecting the entire rail structure, resolving the contradiction between firm locking and adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The support devices incorporate movable and adjustable components that allow the system to transition between fixed locking positions and adjustable positioning states. The dynamic adjustment mechanisms enable vertical alignment modification while maintaining the structural integrity provided by the U-profile rail.
2Strength
If a U-profile rail is used to support panels, then the panel can be firmly locked, but adapting the rail to non-planar panel contours requires complex and costly deformation processes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of deforming a single continuous U-profile rail to match non-planar contours, the system uses multiple discrete support devices that can be individually positioned and oriented. Each support device maintains the standard U-profile shape for easy manufacturing while collectively accommodating complex panel geometries through their distributed arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The support system adapts to local contour variations at each support device position rather than requiring global rail deformation. Each support device can be independently positioned to match local panel geometry, allowing the rigid U-profile rail to maintain its simple manufactured shape while still supporting complex non-planar panels.
3Manufacturing precision
If support devices are placed close together to support curved panels, then local support is achieved, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support devices are designed as universal, standardized components that can support various panel types (flat, curved, corrugated) through their adjustable mechanisms. This multi-functionality allows a single device design to provide local support accuracy for curved panels without requiring specialized components for each curvature type, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The device has support rail that locks two opposite sides of a plate (3) with a substrate. The free end of plate is attached to elastic connecting element to form a channel into which plate is secured by adhesive. The plate, support rail and elastic connecting element are fixed to the substrate using a profile rail (6), and are incorporated in U-shaped receiving chamber. The plate is supported by elastic connecting element and support rail which are parallel to the transverse direction (5) of the plate.