Modular Construction Unit for Frame Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional construction methods for inner walls require time-consuming and skill-intensive interconnection of girders and uprights, often necessitating additional material and struggling with non-straight walls, leading to aesthetic and practical challenges.

Innovation Solution

A construction unit comprising a first elongated profile with sliding parts, and second and third profiles that are hingeably connected to form a frame with adjustable length and angle, allowing for quick assembly and adaptation to non-straight walls, using a combination of hingeable and rotatable connections for efficient interlocking and minimal material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional separate girders and uprights are used, then the frame structure is stable, but the assembly process is time-consuming and requires high skill level

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly speedVSAvoidconnection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines the girder and upright into a single integrated construction unit. The construction unit includes a first profile serving as an upright and second and third profiles serving as girders, pre-connected to form an L-shape. This merging eliminates the need for separate connection operations between girders and uprights, significantly reducing assembly time and skill requirements while maintaining structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If rectangular construction units with fixed dimensions are used, then the manufacturing is simple, but the adaptability to non-straight walls is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to wall variationsVSAvoidconstruction unit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces adjustable mechanisms to the construction unit. The first profile has a variable length achieved through sliding parts that can be fixed at different positions. The second and third profiles are hingeably connected to the first profile, allowing angular adjustment. These dynamic features enable the construction unit to adapt to non-straight walls and various spatial configurations while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of substance

If construction units with abutting first profiles are used, then the material usage is high, but the space utilization is efficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial efficiencyVSAvoidassembly simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs an asymmetric L-shaped configuration where the second and third profiles extend from different ends of the first profile at different heights. This asymmetric arrangement allows successive construction units to be staggered and interlocked more efficiently, reducing the overall material required compared to symmetric abutting configurations, while maintaining assembly simplicity through standardized connection interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP3856992B1Construction unit for a frame
Publication Date: 2022.08.24 JUUNOO NV
  • EP3856992B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3856992B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3856992B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Construction unit (1) for building up a frame (2), wherein the frame (2) comprises at least two girders (3a, 3b) and multiple uprights (4), wherein the construction unit (1) comprises a first construction profile (4), a second construction profile (5) and a third construction profile (6), wherein the first construction profile (4) is provided to serve as an upright (4) and the second and the third construction profile (5, 6) are each provided to be part of a respective girder (3a, 3b), wherein each construction unit (1) is provided to form only one upright (4) of a frame (2) and that multiple such construction units (1) are provided to be successively interconnected so that the first construction profiles (4) of successively construction units (1) extend at a distance from one another.