Modular Light Shelf Assembly for Fast Alignment and Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light shelves are costly to install due to high onsite labor requirements, alignment issues during installation, and difficulty in accessing the upper surface for maintenance, which affects their performance.
Innovation Solution
A modular light shelf assembly with pre-fabricated support arms and light shelves that include protrusions for secure slidable engagement between support arms, allowing for quick installation and easy access to the upper surface for cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional light shelves are installed using fixed sized panels attached to vertical mullions or wall studs, then the light shelf structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but alignment problems occur during installation due to imperfect spacing of vertical supports
Solution Approach 1:
The light shelf is divided into multiple modular segments that can be independently manufactured and then assembled on-site. Each segment can be precisely manufactured in a controlled shop environment, and the modular design allows for easy adjustment during assembly to achieve precise alignment even when vertical support spacing is imperfect.
Solution Approach 2:
The light shelf design incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable components that allow for dynamic adaptation to varying installation conditions. The modular segments can be positioned and adjusted to accommodate non-uniform spacing of vertical mullions or wall studs, enabling precise alignment without requiring perfectly spaced supports.
2Reliability
If conventional light shelves are designed as long continuous expanses, then the light shelf provides continuous sun control, but high onsite labor costs and extended installation time are required
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous light shelf is segmented into multiple modular units that can be manufactured separately in a shop setting and then quickly assembled on-site. This segmentation maintains the continuous sun control function while dramatically reducing onsite labor requirements and installation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular segments are pre-assembled and pre-positioned in a controlled shop environment before being transported to the installation site. This preliminary action allows for quality control and precision work to be performed off-site, reducing the complexity and time required for onsite installation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional light shelves are installed with fixed panels, then the structure is stable and secure, but accessing the upper surface for maintenance becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The light shelf design incorporates movable or adjustable components that allow the upper surface to be accessed for maintenance while maintaining structural stability during normal operation. The modular design enables sections to be easily removed or adjusted without compromising the overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The design may incorporate nested or telescoping elements that allow access to the upper surface by collapsing or retracting portions of the light shelf structure during maintenance, then restoring the stable configuration when maintenance is complete.
4Area of stationary object
If conventional light shelves use interior panels that are fixed in place, then the panels provide continuous coverage, but dust accumulation on the upper surface diminishes reflective performance
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous panel is segmented into modular sections that can be easily removed or adjusted for cleaning. This segmentation maintains continuous coverage during normal operation while enabling periodic maintenance to remove dust accumulation and restore reflective performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates movable or adjustable panels that can be accessed for cleaning while maintaining continuous coverage. The dynamic nature of the design allows for periodic maintenance without permanently compromising the continuous protective coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments provide a modular light shelf assembly in which individual light shelf units are substantially prefabricated. For example, in various embodiments, the assembly includes pre-fabricated support arms that are secured adjacent an interior wall of a building adjacent a window opening. Each of the support arms define at least one channel, and each light shelf includes at least one protrusion extending from each of a first side and a second side of the light shelf. The protrusion on the first side of the light shelf slidably engages the channel of the support arm adjacent the first side of the light shelf, and the protrusion on the second side of the light shelf slidably engages the channel on the support arm adjacent the second side of the light shelf to secure the light shelf between the adjacent support arms.