Modular Cladding Panels with Tapered Slot Fasteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
In modular construction, pre-affixed exterior cladding panels on building units are prone to damage during transport and assembly, and existing methods lack efficient alignment and fastening solutions to ensure watertightness and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A cladding panel system featuring a structural frame with fasteners arranged in a predetermined pattern for alignment with corresponding features on modular units, utilizing tapered slots and alignment pegs for secure attachment, and optionally including a waterproof finish and insulation for enhanced performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cladding panels are pre-affixed to modular units during pre-fabrication, then the exterior surface is protected and decorated, but the cladding panels are prone to damage during transport and assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The cladding system is divided into two separate components: modular units without pre-affixed cladding, and standalone cladding panels with integrated fasteners. This segmentation allows the modular units to be transported and assembled without risking cladding damage, while the cladding panels are installed separately in a controlled manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The fasteners are pre-installed on the cladding panels during manufacturing, but the panels themselves are not pre-affixed to the modular units. This preliminary preparation of fasteners enables quick and precise installation later, while avoiding the risk of damaging pre-affixed panels during transport.
2Reliability
If cladding panels are pre-affixed to modular units, then exterior protection is provided, but seams between adjacent panels must be filled or hidden
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent cladding panels are designed to overlap, merging their coverage areas. This overlap eliminates gaps and seams between panels, providing continuous exterior protection without requiring additional seam filling or hiding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The cladding panels extend beyond the boundaries of individual modular units in the horizontal dimension, creating an overlapping arrangement. This dimensional extension allows panels from adjacent modular units to cover the seams and joints between units.
3Manufacturing precision
If fasteners are arranged in a predetermined pattern with alignment features, then precise alignment and fastening is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment pegs and tapered slots are designed to automatically guide and position the cladding panel during installation. The tapered geometry of the slots causes the panels to self-align as they are attached, eliminating the need for complex external alignment tools or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener system uses asymmetric tapered slots rather than symmetric circular holes. This asymmetric geometry provides directional guidance for alignment, allowing precise positioning while maintaining a relatively simple fastener configuration that integrates with the cladding panel structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A system (10) for covering an exterior external surface of a building includes cladding alignment features attached to the external surface of the building according to a predetermined pattern and cladding panels (100). Each cladding panel includes a structural frame (130), a substrate (110) attached to a first, external, surface of the structural frame, and fasteners (200) that are formed on a second, internal, surface of the structural frame. The fasteners are arranged according to the same predetermined pattern as the cladding alignment features, such that each of fasteners can be aligned with and attached to a corresponding one of the cladding alignment features. Each of the fasteners is attachable to a corresponding one of the plurality of cladding alignment features. The building is formed from multiple modular units assembled together. Each of the plurality of cladding panels is affixed to one or more of the modular units.