L-Shaped Infill Adaptor for Screen Mounting in Balustrade Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing balustrade arrangements require modification of rail profiles to mount a screen infill, which is not feasible without altering the existing glass infill setup.
Innovation Solution
An L-shaped infill adaptor with a rail engaging leg and a sash engaging leg is used to secure a screen panel between balustrade rails, utilizing locating ribs for alignment and fasteners for securement, allowing the screen to be mounted without modifying the rail profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If glass infill panels are replaced with screen infills, then aesthetic integration and design flexibility are improved, but the rail profiles must be modified which increases device complexity and manufacturing difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
An adaptor component is introduced as an intermediary element between the existing glass-mounting rail system and the new screen infill. The adaptor has a first portion that interfaces with the original rail channels and a second portion that provides mounting for the screen, thereby enabling screen installation without modifying the original rail profiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is segmented into distinct functional components: the original rail structure, the adaptor component, and the screen infill. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the rail maintains its original glass-mounting function while the adaptor provides the screen-mounting function.
2Ease of operation
If screen infills are mounted directly to existing glass infill rails, then installation simplicity is improved, but secure mounting cannot be achieved without rail modification
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor serves as a mediator that translates between the existing rail interface (designed for glass panels) and the required screen mounting interface. It provides proper alignment through locating ribs that register with the rail channels, ensuring both ease of installation and secure mounting without rail modification.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rail profiles are modified to accommodate screen infills, then screen mounting capability is improved, but manufacturing cost and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than modifying the rail profiles (which would require new tooling and manufacturing processes), the adaptor is designed to interface with existing standard rail channels. This maintains manufacturing simplicity for the rails while providing the necessary adaptability for screen infills through the adaptor component.
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptor component provides multi-functionality by serving as both a structural support element and a mounting interface for screen infills. It universalizes the rail system to accommodate different infill types (glass or screen) without requiring different rail profiles.
Data Source
AI summary
An infill adaptor for mounting a screen between upper and lower rails of a balustrade. The upper and lower rails have respective channels which open toward each other. The infill adaptor has a generally L-shaped body with a rail engaging leg extending generally perpendicular to a sash engaging leg. A respective rail engaging leg is mounted in each of the channels for securing an infill adaptor to each rail. The sash engaging leg is secured to the sash of a screen for mounting a screen to the rails.