Light Metal Profile Connection With Integral Groove Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lightweight metal profile connections require additional components, which complicate mass production, increase costs, and can lead to warping, particularly in applications like sectional and garage doors, where additional components are problematic and reduce quality.
Innovation Solution
A reinforced integral support is incorporated into the horizontal profile, with a continuous longitudinal groove matching the connecting element's diameter, ensuring a precise, force-fit and form-fit connection without lateral play, allowing for simplified assembly and preventing distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional components are used in lightweight metal profile connections, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the support function and the connection guidance function into a single integrated support structure within the profile. This integral support provides both mechanical support and precise guidance for the connecting element, eliminating the need for separate components while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The integral support structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support, guides the connecting element, and ensures precise alignment. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components needed while maintaining or improving connection reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional components are used in lightweight metal profile connections, then connection stability is improved, but manufacturing cost and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the support and guidance functions into a single structure that is formed as part of the profile manufacturing process. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps for additional components, reducing both manufacturing cost and production time while maintaining connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The integral support structure is pre-formed during profile manufacturing with the precise geometry needed to guide connecting elements. This preliminary preparation ensures stable connections without requiring additional components or complex assembly operations during production.
3Stability of the object's composition
If wall thickness is increased to prevent warping, then structural stability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reinforces the profile wall thickness only in the specific area where the integral support is needed for connection stability. The rest of the profile maintains its original thin wall design, preserving the lightweight characteristic while providing local structural reinforcement where required.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement is localized to specific segments of the profile rather than increasing the overall wall thickness uniformly. This segmented approach provides structural stability at connection points while maintaining low weight in the rest of the profile structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a light metal profile connection, which essentially consists of a horizontal profile (1) and a vertical profile (2), which are arranged at an angle of 90° to each other and are connected to each other via a connecting element (12) that can be inserted into a screw channel (2), wherein the horizontal profile (1) has an integral support (14) which is formed over an underlying flat bearing surface (15), and in its height dimension, measured to the bearing surface (15) of the horizontal profile (1), is formed with at least 400% or more compared to the other profile thicknesses, and in that a fitting groove (13) runs in its longitudinal extent in the integral support (14), the width of which corresponds to the nominal diameter of the connecting element (12), and that the head of the connecting element (12) rests on the integral support (14) in the connection version.