Interlocking Rolling Sheet Door Panel Curl Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rolling sheet doors are difficult to disassemble and maintain without causing damage, as the seamed hems make it challenging to remove or replace panels, leading to structural instability and performance issues during high wind events.
Innovation Solution
An interlocking rolling sheet door system with a mechanism featuring first and second curls on each panel that rotationally engage to form an interlocking mechanism, allowing panels to be assembled and disassembled by rolling, eliminating the need for seaming and lateral space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conventional seamed hems are used to interlock curtain panels, then the door achieves structural stability, but the door becomes difficult to disassemble and maintain without causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanism is divided into separate male and female portions that can engage and disengage independently. The male portion includes a leg that inserts into the female portion's cavity, allowing individual panel removal without damaging other panels or requiring destruction of the interlock.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking mechanism transitions from a static permanent seam to a dynamic reversible connection. The male and female portions can be engaged by rolling the panels together and disengaged by rolling them apart, enabling maintenance while maintaining structural integrity during operation.
2Ease of repair
If curtain panels are removed by cutting with shear, snips, or circular saw, then the panel can be removed, but severe damage is caused to the astatic and structural stability of the rolling sheet door
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanism is divided into separate male and female portions that can engage and disengage independently. The male portion includes a leg that inserts into the female portion's cavity, allowing individual panel removal without damaging other panels or requiring destruction of the interlock.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking mechanism is designed to be recovered and reused rather than discarded. The male and female portions remain intact after disengagement, allowing panels to be removed, replaced, or repaired without compromising the integrity of the interlocking system or requiring replacement of the interlock itself.
3Ease of manufacture
If new curtain panels are attached by overlapping ribs and using fasteners like rivets or screws, then the panels can be connected, but the door's weight increases adversely affecting the spring assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanism merges the connection function into the panel structure itself rather than adding separate fasteners. The male and female portions are formed as integral parts of adjacent panels, eliminating the need for additional rivets, screws, or overlapping ribs, thereby maintaining minimal weight while achieving secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection method changes from additive (adding fasteners and overlaps) to subtractive (forming interlocking shapes directly in the panel material). The male leg and female cavity are formed by rolling or shaping the metal panels themselves, changing the physical parameters of the panels to create the interlock rather than adding external components.
4Ease of manufacture
If overlapping curtain panels is used to connect panels, then the panels can be connected, but the performance of the door during high wind events is compromised due to added rigidity where panels overlap
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanism merges the connection function into the panel structure itself rather than adding separate fasteners. The male and female portions are formed as integral parts of adjacent panels, eliminating the need for additional rivets, screws, or overlapping ribs, thereby maintaining minimal weight while achieving secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of overlapping panels and fastening them (adding rigidity), the invention inverts the approach by creating interlocking shapes that connect panels edge-to-edge. The male leg inserts into the female cavity, creating a joint that connects panels without overlapping, thereby avoiding the rigidity issues that compromise performance in high wind events.
5Ease of repair
If manual prying is used to open the seam, then the curtain panels can be separated, but ripples and deformation are formed in the hems
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanism transitions from a static permanent seam to a dynamic reversible connection. The male and female portions can be engaged by rolling the panels together and disengaged by rolling them apart, enabling maintenance while maintaining structural integrity during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual prying mechanism is replaced with a rolling mechanism. Instead of using tools to pry panels apart (which causes deformation), the panels are rolled apart using the door's existing rolling mechanism, which evenly distributes forces and maintains the integrity of the panel shapes and hems.
6Ease of manufacture
If forming a seam in the field is attempted using hammer and anvil, then the curtain panels can be interlocked, but dents are created across the length of the door and the process is difficult due to challenges in providing proper force and accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking mechanism transitions from a static permanent seam to a dynamic reversible connection. The male and female portions can be engaged by rolling the panels together and disengaged by rolling them apart, enabling maintenance while maintaining structural integrity during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual seaming mechanism (hammer and anvil) is replaced with a rolling mechanism. The panels are rolled together to form the interlock, which distributes forces evenly and creates a consistent connection without requiring the precision and force control needed for hammer seaming, thereby avoiding dents and improving accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with various embodiments, there is provided an interlocking rolling sheet door and a method for assembling the interlocking rolling sheet door. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the interlocking rolling sheet door includes at least one curtain panel. Each curtain panel includes a first curl on a lateral end and a second curl on an opposing lateral end. One of the first curl and the second curl is an interior curl portion, and the other of the first curl and the second curl is an exterior curl portion. The first curl of one curtain panel is configured to rotationally engage an inner portion of the second curl of an adjacent curtain panel, whereby the first curl rotationally engaging the second curl until a distal end of the first curl fouls out against an inner surface of the second curl. The first curl and the second curl are configured to rotationally engage one another to form an interlocking mechanism between adjacent curtain panels to form the interlocking rolling sheet door.