Glazing Seal Pivoting Web for Wide Tolerance Sealing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional glazing seals face challenges in achieving a satisfactory sealing effect over a wide tolerance range and preventing moisture intrusion due to limited contact area and alignment issues, especially with larger gap tolerances and varying closing forces.

Innovation Solution

The glazing seal features a sealing web that protrudes obliquely, connecting to the outer web via an arcuately rounded intermediate section, allowing it to pivot and expand, creating a larger contact area and preventing moisture entry by forming a receiving space with the lower leg, while requiring lower closing forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the upper leg of the outer web is designed to pivot parallel to the profile back for sealing, then the sealing effect is maximized when aligned, but the contact area becomes relatively small with larger gap tolerances, leading to insufficient sealing and moisture penetration risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectVSAvoidcontact area
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is divided into two separate sealing webs: the upper leg of the outer web and the transverse web. Each sealing web independently contacts the counter surface, ensuring that even if one has limited contact area, the other provides additional sealing coverage. This segmentation allows the transverse web to specifically address the gap tolerance issue by providing a separate contact path with adequate contact area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transverse web is designed to extend beyond the point of entry of the lower leg of the outer web, creating an additional sealing dimension. This protruding section provides a secondary contact area on the counter surface, effectively adding another plane of sealing that compensates for the limited contact area of the upper leg alone, particularly when gap tolerances vary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If the upper leg of the outer web pivots at an acute angle for sealing engagement, then the sealing mechanism is simple, but water or dirt can enter the sealing gap from the outside under unfavorable conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing mechanismVSAvoidmoisture penetration
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is divided into two separate sealing webs: the upper leg of the outer web and the transverse web. Each sealing web independently contacts the counter surface, ensuring that even if one has limited contact area, the other provides additional sealing coverage. This segmentation allows the transverse web to specifically address the gap tolerance issue by providing a separate contact path with adequate contact area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transverse web is designed to extend beyond the point of entry of the lower leg of the outer web, creating an additional sealing dimension. This protruding section provides a secondary contact area on the counter surface, effectively adding another plane of sealing that compensates for the limited contact area of the upper leg alone, particularly when gap tolerances vary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If a larger contact area is achieved through design modifications, then sealing over larger tolerance range improves, but the closing forces required increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effect over tolerance rangeVSAvoidclosing forces
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing webs are designed to pivot dynamically during the closing process. The transverse web pivots about the junction point of the lower leg, and the upper leg pivots toward the profile back. This dynamic pivoting action allows the sealing webs to progressively engage the counter surface, distributing the closing force over time and space rather than requiring high force all at once. The elastic plastic material also deforms elastically to accommodate varying gap sizes without requiring excessive closing force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the elastic properties of the plastic material, changing its physical state from undeformed to elastically deformed during closing. This parameter change allows the sealing webs to adapt to different gap sizes and tolerance variations while maintaining effective sealing contact. The material's elasticity enables it to exert sufficient sealing force through its own elastic recovery rather than requiring high external closing forces.

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

This design achieves a robust sealing effect across a wide tolerance range with low closing forces, ensuring effective sealing and preventing moisture intrusion, even under unfavorable conditions.

Implementation Method 1

The invention relates to a glazing seal made of elastic plastic... in the unloaded state of the glazing seal, the upper leg of the outer web running from the connecting web spreads out at an acute angle from the back of the profile... during sealing engagement, rests against the outside of the lower leg

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3315710B1Glazing sealing strip made from an elastic plastic
Publication Date: 2018.12.19 ROTO FRANK AG
  • EP3315710B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2D
  • EP3315710B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

In a glazing gasket (1) with a head section (2) and a foot section (3) connected via a profile back (4), the head section (2), opposite the profile back (4), comprises an outer web (5) with an upper (5A) and a lower (5B) leg. The outer web (5) is connected at the top to the profile back (4) via a connecting web (6) and terminates at the bottom in a transverse web (7), which is connected to the profile back (4) via a support web (8). Both legs (5A, 5B) are pivotably attached to each other. The upper leg (5A) spreads out from the profile back (4) towards the lower leg (5B) at an acute angle (α). The transverse web runs obliquely to the profile back (4) as a sealing web (7), is pivotable relative to the lower leg (5B), is the same length as the lower leg, and forms an acute angle (β) with the latter. The lower leg (5B) is articulated to the sealing rib (7).An intermediate web (12) connects both legs (5A, 5B), its length approximately corresponding to the thickness (D) of the sealing web (7). In the unloaded state of the glazing seal (1), the free end of the sealing web (7) extends further from the profile back (4) than the lower end of the upper leg (5A).