Facade Seal Profile with Labyrinth Lip and Foam Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing facade sealing solutions fail to minimize heat transfer effectively while being easy to install, safe, and inexpensive to produce.
Innovation Solution
A facade sealing strip with a clip-in strip, a main sealing lip, and a labyrinth seal, featuring a closed-cell elastomer with gas inclusions for improved insulation, a compressive force transmission bead for secure assembly, and solid plastic components for structural integrity, ensuring reduced heat transfer and easy installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a solid EPDM sealing material is used, then structural integrity and durability are improved, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element combines solid EPDM material for structural components (clip-in strip, main sealing lip) with foamed EPDM material for the sealing strip. This composite construction allows the solid material to provide mechanical strength and durability while the foamed material provides thermal insulation through its closed-cell structure with gas pockets, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and thermal insulation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sealing element use different material properties: the clip-in strip and main sealing lip use solid EPDM for mechanical strength, while the sealing strip uses foamed EPDM for thermal insulation. This local differentiation of material quality allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising overall performance.
2Loss of energy
If a complex multi-material construction is used, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is divided into distinct segments with different materials: a solid EPDM clip-in strip for mechanical attachment, a foamed EPDM sealing strip for thermal insulation, and a solid EPDM main sealing lip for sealing. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using optimized processes, then assembled together, managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sealing strip and main sealing lip into a single integrated component made of different materials, where the foamed sealing strip is vulcanized onto the solid main sealing lip. This merging simplifies assembly while maintaining the benefits of multi-material construction, as the combined component functions as a unified sealing system.
3Loss of energy
If the sealing strip is made of foamed rubber, then thermal insulation is improved, but mechanical strength and durability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element uses foamed EPDM material specifically for the sealing strip where thermal insulation is the primary function, while solid EPDM material is used for the clip-in strip and main sealing lip where mechanical strength is critical. This selective material application allows the foamed material to provide insulation without compromising overall structural integrity, as it is used only where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The foamed EPDM material is applied locally to the sealing strip region where thermal insulation is required, rather than throughout the entire sealing element. This localized application provides the necessary insulation while maintaining mechanical strength in critical structural areas through the use of solid EPDM material.
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 provides enhanced thermal insulation with reduced heat transfer, easy and secure assembly, and cost-effective production through a combination of materials and design features.
Implementation Method 1
a sealing strip (15), in particular a profiled one, made of a closed-cell elastomer with gas inclusions or foam rubber
Implementation Method 2
a pressure stamp-like compressive force transmission bead (29), which is arranged opposite the clip-in strip (3) and which extends into the sealing strip (15)
Implementation Method 3
a labyrinth seal with several labyrinth sealing lips (20) for sealing contact with the plate-shaped element
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The sealing profile band comprises a sealing area (17) with a profiled, sealant strip (15) made of rubber elastic material, which has the labyrinth sealing. The sealing profile band has a pressure piston-type thrust transmission torus (29), which is arranged facing the clipping units (3) for clipping, and extends in the sealant strip. The sealant strip is made of a foam rubber, particularly ethylene propylene diene monomer, ethylene-propylene terpolymer, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber or thermoplastic elastomer.