Hydraulic Bi-Fold Door Assembly for Wind Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional doors in large structural buildings, such as barns and aviation hangars, face issues with operation reliability and wind resistance, particularly with electrically operated bi-fold doors that can fall if the motor or pulley system fails and single panel doors that are vulnerable to wind damage.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic operated door assembly featuring a bi-fold door with a hydraulic control system, including piston and cylinders, a manifold, and a truss mountable to the header, which supports the door and allows for reliable operation and wind resistance through a wedge formation when open.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If an electrically operated bi-fold door with motor and pulley system is used, then the door can be operated automatically, but the door has the potential of falling should the motor, pulley system or cables fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electric motor and pulley system with a hydraulic actuator that uses fluid pressure to operate the door. The hydraulic system provides reliable, fail-safe operation where the door remains stationary when fluid pressure is applied and can be controlled to open or close smoothly without the mechanical failure risks of cable-based systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical cable and pulley system with a hydraulic actuation system. This replacement eliminates the mechanical components (cables, pulleys, motors) that are prone to failure, using instead a hydraulic cylinder that directly pushes or pulls the door panels through fluid pressure control
2Ease of operation
If a single panel door is positioned completely away from the structure when open, then the door can be fully opened, but the entire surface area of the door is capable of being acted upon by the wind
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the door into multiple panels that can be positioned at different locations. When opened, the panels are segmented along the track system, with some panels positioned away from the structure and others remaining closer or at intermediate positions. This segmentation reduces the continuous surface area exposed to wind forces while still achieving full door opening functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a multi-dimensional tracking system where door panels can move not only away from the structure but also along the vertical and horizontal axes. This allows panels to be positioned in three-dimensional space, creating a configuration that minimizes wind exposure by breaking up the flat surface area into distributed panel positions at various depths and heights
Data Source
AI summary
A door assembly having a multi-panel door connected to a casing that is inserted into a structure opening. The multi-panel door can be operated by a control assembly operatively coupled to the casing and the multi-panel door. The multi-panel door can be a bi-fold door having an upper panel and lower panel operatively coupled together. The upper panel can be pivotally coupled to the casing at one end and pivotally coupled to a portion of the lower panel at its other end. The control assembly can control movement of the door between an open position and a closed position.