Flood-Protective Ventilation Louver with Buoyancy Switch

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ventilation louvers in basements and underground parking lots lack flood protection measures, leading to potential flooding and safety risks during heavy downpours, as they are not designed to automatically close and block water ingress.

Innovation Solution

A flood-protective ventilation louver system comprising a window frame assembly, slat assemblies, a transmission mechanism, and a buoyance switch assembly that automatically closes during flooding, using a float and trigger mechanism to drive the slats to oscillate downward and seal the opening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If ventilation louvers are installed on ground level to reduce construction cost, then installation cost is reduced, but flooding risk increases during heavy downpours

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation costVSAvoidflooding risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The louver system automatically detects flooding conditions through the buoyancy switch and closes its own slats without human intervention. The float mechanism self-activates when water rises, triggering the transmission mechanism to oscillate slats downward and seal the opening, making the system self-protecting against flooding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The buoyancy switch is pre-positioned to detect rising water levels before flooding becomes severe. The float mechanism anticipates flooding by rising with water level increases, triggering preventive closure of slats before water can penetrate the building, thereby countering the harmful flooding effect in advance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Ease of operation

If manual operation is used to shut up the louver during heavy downpours, then operation simplicity is maintained, but response reliability decreases due to human delay or negligence

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidresponse reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual human operation with an automatic self-service mechanism. The buoyancy switch and float assembly autonomously detect flooding conditions and trigger slat closure without requiring human awareness or action, eliminating delays and negligence associated with manual operation while maintaining simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the human manual operation system with an automatic mechanical sensing and actuation system. The buoyancy switch converts water level detection into mechanical motion that automatically drives the transmission mechanism and slat oscillation, substituting human cognitive and physical systems with reliable mechanical automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If the louver remains open for ventilation, then ventilation function is maintained, but water ingress occurs during flooding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveventilation functionVSAvoidwater ingress

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The louver slats are designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. They can oscillate between open and closed positions based on flooding conditions. The transmission mechanism enables dynamic reconfiguration of slat positions, allowing the system to adapt its state (open for ventilation, closed for flood protection) according to environmental conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameter of the slats from a static open/closed state to a dynamically controllable state. By altering the position parameter of slats through oscillation driven by the transmission mechanism, the system transitions between ventilation mode (open) and flood protection mode (closed), adapting to changing environmental conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 system effectively prevents water ingress during flooding by automatically closing the slats, providing enhanced flood protection and ensuring safety by eliminating the need for manual operation, which can be delayed or neglected.

Implementation Method 1

a buoyance switch assembly (4) disposed in the receptacle portion to drive the transmission mechanism (3) to move

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentUS11486109B2Flood-protective ventilation louver

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 LIU HUI HUNG

AI summary

A flood-protective ventilation louver includes a window frame assembly, slat assemblies, a transmission mechanism, and a buoyance switch assembly. During flooding, external water passes through the window frame assembly into the buoyance switch assembly, such that the buoyance switch assembly is caused to release the transmission mechanism from constraint to thereby allow the slat of each of the slat assemblies to oscillate downward automatically and thus automatic closing is realized.