Floating Shell Mounting for Thermal Expansion in Construction Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Components such as doors and windows experience stresses and deformations due to thermal expansion, leading to installation issues and potential leaks, as existing solutions are often ineffective and complex.
Innovation Solution
The shell part is mounted 'floating' on a component core with spring elements to allow for expansion and contraction without transmitting forces, ensuring consistent centering and adjustable sliding elements to prevent stress buildup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the shell part is rigidly connected to the component core, then structural stability is improved, but thermal expansion stresses cause deformations and installation problems
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the shell part and component core is segmented into multiple discrete connection elements distributed around the perimeter, allowing localized movement while maintaining overall structural integrity. This segmentation enables the shell to expand and contract thermally without transmitting uniform stresses to the core.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection elements utilize elastic deformation as a parameter change mechanism, allowing them to flexibly accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the shell part. The elastic properties enable the connection to remain intact while absorbing dimensional changes, preventing stress buildup and deformation.
2Strength
If the shell part is rigidly connected to the component core, then structural strength is improved, but thermal expansion forces are transmitted causing leaks and sealing failures
Solution Approach 1:
The connection elements serve as intermediary components between the shell part and component core. These intermediaries absorb and isolate thermal expansion forces, preventing them from being transmitted to the core and compromising seals. The connection elements act as a buffer zone that protects the overall structure from thermal stresses.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional rigid mounting is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the component requires complex adjustment mechanisms to compensate for thermal deformations
Solution Approach 1:
The connection elements provide self-adjusting functionality through their elastic properties, automatically compensating for thermal expansion and contraction without requiring external adjustment mechanisms. The system serves itself by using the inherent flexibility of the connection elements to adapt to dimensional changes, eliminating the need for complex manual or automated adjustment systems.
4Reliability
If the shell part is allowed to move freely for thermal expansion, then stress-free operation is achieved, but centering and alignment become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The connection elements are strategically positioned asymmetrically around the perimeter of the shell part, with specific placement patterns that provide both movement freedom and centering guidance. This asymmetric arrangement allows thermal expansion in all directions while the distributed positioning maintains proper alignment and prevents lateral displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic connection elements create an equipotential condition where the shell part can move freely within a controlled range while experiencing uniform restoring forces that maintain centering. The elastic properties ensure that any displacement from the centered position generates equal and opposite forces, naturally returning the shell to its proper alignment.
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
This solution effectively prevents stress and deformation issues by allowing temperature-related expansion and contraction of shell parts without affecting the component core, maintaining consistent edge distances and preventing leaks.
Implementation Method 1
elastic spring elements (5) which center the shell part (1) on the component core (2) by means of their spring forces
Implementation Method 2
temperature-related expansion or contraction of the shell part is easily possible without forces being transmitted to the component core
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The component has inner and outer casings (1) that are connected together to form a component core. Sliding elements (3) at periphery of casings are attached to the core. The sliding elements are arranged in the guide receptacles of the component core, and are vertically adjustable in the adjacent edges of the inner and outer casings. The sliding elements in the guide receptacles are reset to the middle positions by using elastic spring elements. The inner and outer casings are made of metal, plastic, glass, timber and other similar materials.