Lift-and-Slide Door Fixing Element Rain Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lift-and-slide doors and windows suffer from impermeability issues against driving rain due to lateral movement under wind load, and their assembly is complicated by the need for recesses in cover profiles to accommodate guide rails.

Innovation Solution

A fixing element composed of a base with a recess complementary to the carriage rail contour, combined with a cover profile that snaps into place, prevents lateral movement and simplifies assembly by eliminating the need for recesses in the cover profile.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a sealing element is provided on the joint area to seal the carriage groove, then sealing against driving rain is improved, but the lift and slide sash can still move sideways under wind load due to carriage play, impairing protection and causing leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against driving rainVSAvoidsealing effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A fixing element is introduced as an intermediary component between the carriage and the sash frame. This fixing element includes a base with a recess that receives the carriage rail, effectively mediating the connection and preventing lateral movement while maintaining the sealing function against driving rain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If the carriage is mounted with play to allow for thermal expansion and manufacturing tolerances, then assembly ease is improved, but lateral movement under wind load occurs, impairing protection against driving rain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidlateral movement under wind load
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fixing element applies local quality by providing a recess in the base that is specifically shaped to match the carriage rail contour. This localized geometric constraint prevents lateral movement in the critical area where the carriage interacts with the sash frame, while allowing the rest of the mounting system to maintain its play for thermal expansion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Shape

If a cover profile is provided to cover the fixing element, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the cover profile requires an additional recess for the guide rail to pass through, increasing assembly complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fixing element merges multiple functions into a single integrated component. The base with its recess receives the carriage rail, while the cover profile integrates with this base structure. By combining the fixing element and cover profile into a unified assembly where the cover profile snaps onto the base, the design achieves aesthetic appearance without requiring additional recesses in the cover profile, thereby reducing assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2362047B1Lifting/sliding door or window
Publication Date: 2015.10.14 REHAU AG & CO
  • EP2362047B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2362047B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2362047B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The door or window has a lifting- and sliding wing (7) movably guided with a carriage at a guide rail that is attached on a lower frame part of a frame. A fixing element (17) is provided in a joint area (15) between the wing and a lateral frame part of the frame when the wing is closed, and is attached in the joint area at a casement frame (8). The fixing element has a base comprising a recess in its lower region, where the recess is partially complementary to a contour of the guide rail and is accommodated in a section of the guide rail in a lowered condition of the wing.