Emergency Folding Device for Sun Protection Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency retraction devices for sun protection systems face issues such as complex mechanical designs, risk of false triggering, and unreliable operation during power failures, particularly in emergency situations like fires or power outages.
Innovation Solution
An emergency retraction device equipped with an emergency power supply that automatically generates an electrical signal for the electric actuator, allowing for automatic operation during power failures, and incorporating sensors like smoke, heat, or motion detectors to trigger the device, along with a wind sensor to prevent curtain damage from excessive winds, ensuring safe and controlled retraction without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a manual release device with a lever is used, then the device is easy to operate and visible, but it risks false triggering and intentional misuse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical lever system with an electrical actuator that responds to electrical signals. This substitution eliminates the visual and tactile cues that lead to false triggering, while maintaining reliable operation through electronic control mechanisms that can distinguish between accidental and intentional activation attempts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electrical signal as an intermediary between the operator and the release mechanism. Instead of direct mechanical contact with a lever, the system uses electrical signals that can be controlled and verified, reducing the risk of unintended activation while preserving the ability to trigger the emergency retraction when needed.
2Ease of operation
If a mechanical release device with Bowden cable is used, then the device can be manually operated, but the assembly becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates complex mechanical transmission elements like Bowden cables by replacing them with an electrical actuator system. The electrical signal directly actuates the release mechanism without requiring intermediate mechanical linkages, significantly simplifying the overall assembly while maintaining manual operability through electrical control.
3Device complexity
If an electrical actuator is used without emergency power supply, then the device simplifies control, but it becomes unreliable during power failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an emergency power supply that is pre-charged and ready to activate the electrical actuator during power failures. This preliminary preparation ensures that the system can automatically trigger the emergency retraction function when needed, maintaining reliability during critical situations without requiring complex real-time power management.
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency power supply is automatically activated by a control unit that detects power failure conditions. The system serves itself by automatically switching to emergency power and triggering the actuator without requiring manual intervention, maintaining both simplicity and reliability during critical situations.
4Reliability
If automatic sensors are added to trigger the device, then operation during power failure is ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple sensor types (smoke, heat, motion detectors) into a single control unit that manages the emergency power supply and actuator activation. This multi-functional approach allows the system to respond to various emergency conditions through a unified control mechanism, reducing overall complexity compared to separate systems for each sensor type.
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 ensures reliable and automatic operation of sun protection systems during emergencies, preventing damage and panic, while allowing central control for coordinated retraction across multiple devices, ensuring safety and efficient use of energy storage devices like springs, pneumatics, or weights.
Implementation Method 1
an emergency power supply is provided which supplies the electric actuator with power and generates the electric signal in the event of a power failure
Implementation Method 2
an energy storage device, e.g. a spring tensioning device is provided, which is blocked in a pretensioned state
Implementation Method 3
a smoke or fire alarm or a temperature sensor is provided which generates the electrical signal when triggered
Implementation Method 4
a smoke or fire alarm or a temperature sensor is provided which generates the electrical signal when triggered
Implementation Method 5
a wind sensor is provided which generates the electrical signal when a limit value for the wind speed is reached
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The device (10) has an energy storage blocked in a loaded condition or a pre-loaded condition by a tripping device and securing a reapable or windable lamellar hanging (14) with high speed after releasing of the energy storage by the tripping device. The tripping device has an electrical actuating element, which is controlled by an electrical signal for releasing the energy storage. An emergency power supply is provided for supplying power to the actuating element and generating the electrical signal during power failure. A torsion spring acts as the storage on a shaft. An independent claim is also included for a system for releasing escape routes comprising a control center and an emergency folding device.