Hinged Partition Seal for Fluid Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for sealing off a room from fluids, particularly flammable liquids, face challenges in maintaining an effective seal at higher temperatures due to manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansion differences between components, leading to reduced sealing efficiency during fires.

Innovation Solution

A hinged partition device with a flexible seal connected to both the bulkhead and a frame, featuring a shielding means to protect the seal from heat and a spring mechanism for automatic adjustment, ensuring the seal remains effective regardless of the bulkhead's position and compensating for thermal expansion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rectangular cross-section seal is used to ensure liquid tightness, then sealing function is achieved, but complex alignment of the axis or hinged bulkhead is necessary due to manufacturing tolerances

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing functionVSAvoidalignment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a flexible seal element with a non-rectangular cross-section (e.g., triangular, trapezoidal, or rounded) that can deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and misalignments. This flexible membrane design eliminates the need for complex alignment procedures while maintaining reliable sealing function, directly resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and alignment complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of manufacture

If components are designed for standard manufacturing tolerances, then ease of manufacture is improved, but sealing function cannot be ensured at higher temperatures due to differential thermal expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing toleranceVSAvoidsealing function at high temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible seal element whose physical parameters (shape, cross-sectional profile) are specifically designed to maintain sealing effectiveness across a range of temperatures. The flexible membrane can adjust its deformation characteristics with temperature changes, compensating for differential thermal expansion between components while allowing standard manufacturing tolerances to be used.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The seal system combines materials with different thermal expansion properties, where the flexible seal element (potentially comprising multiple layers or composite structure) compensates for the differential expansion between the hinged bulkhead and frame, maintaining sealing function at elevated temperatures despite standard manufacturing tolerances.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Stability of the object's composition

If the seal is made rigid to maintain shape at high temperatures, then thermal stability is improved, but the seal cannot accommodate manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansion differences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal stabilityVSAvoidaccommodation of tolerances and expansion

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes a flexible seal element that maintains its sealing function through controlled flexibility rather than rigidity. The flexible membrane can deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansion differences, while its material composition and geometric design ensure it maintains sufficient structural integrity and shape retention at elevated temperatures, resolving the contradiction between thermal stability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 device provides improved sealing performance at higher temperatures, simplifies assembly and maintenance, and ensures the seal remains effective even when components behave differently thermally, preventing fluid leakage or ingress.

Implementation Method 1

The flexible seal compensates for the tolerance with regard to the position of the axis through the seal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP1948897B1Hinged partition and arrangement for closing off a room against a fluid flowing into the room or out of the room

Publication Date: 2015.10.07 ANHAMM HELMUT

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AI summary

An arrangement which has a hinged partition is proposed in order to close off a room against a fluid, in particular a flammable liquid, flowing into the room or out of the room. The hinged partition can be pivoted about an axis from a first position into a second position. A seal of sheet-like formation is connected to the hinged partition and a frame. At least one screening means is provided in the side regions of the seal and of the hinged partition, this screening means protecting the seal against increased levels of heat.