Movable Weather Protection Arrangement for Building Facades

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing weather protection systems for buildings under construction are cumbersome and costly, requiring complex designs and many components, which complicates their movement and reattachment as the construction progresses, disrupting the concrete drying process and increasing labor costs.

Innovation Solution

A weather protection arrangement featuring elongate uprights guided by external parallel walls and spaced rolls, allowing for easy vertical movement along the building facade with minimal effort and personnel, using a simple and lightweight construction with few parts, enabling controlled protection from rain and snow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional weather protective covers are tied to scaffolding, then protection from rain and wind is achieved, but the operation becomes cumbersome requiring substantial workers and time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweather protectionVSAvoidmovement and reattachment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The weather protective cover is transformed from a static tied arrangement to a dynamic slidable system. The cover can move vertically along the building facade on the uprights, allowing easy repositioning as construction progresses without requiring untieing and reattachment operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Elongate uprights are introduced as intermediary elements between the weather protective cover and the building structure. These uprights carry the cover and can be independently moved along the facade, decoupling the cover from direct attachment to scaffolding and enabling simplified repositioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If radial flanges are engaged between rolls to secure uprights, then safety against falling is improved, but the flanges may get pinched making movement difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety securingVSAvoidmovement along facade
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of engaging flanges between rolls (complex multi-component engagement), the design inverts the approach by using simple rolls that contact the uprights' external guiding surfaces. This reversed engagement method eliminates the pinching problem while maintaining securing function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The complex radial flange structure is removed entirely. The uprights are designed with simple external guiding surfaces that can be directly engaged by rolls, extracting the essential securing function while eliminating the problematic pinching mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If vertical standards are dismounted and reassembled to transfer safety fence, then protection can be moved to upper floors, but the process is time consuming and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransfer to upper floorsVSAvoiddismounting and reassembling time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The uprights are designed as dynamic, movable elements rather than fixed standards. They can be independently slid along the building facade to upper floors while maintaining their structural integrity, eliminating the need for complete disassembly and reassembly operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system is segmented into independent movable uprights that can be individually repositioned. This segmentation allows each upright to be moved separately to upper floors without requiring the complex coordinated disassembly of entire standard assemblies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution facilitates efficient and cost-effective movement of the weather protection system, maintaining a controlled environment for concrete drying and improving worker safety, while reducing labor and material costs by minimizing the number of components and simplifying the assembly process.

Implementation Method 1

engagement between opposing external guiding surfaces of the uprights and spaced apart guiding means attached to the floors of the building

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3475502B1Movable weather protection arrangement for a building
Publication Date: 2021.12.15 BRUNKEBERG SYST AB
  • EP3475502B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3475502B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3475502B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A weather protection arrangement (100) for a building (200) comprising, - a first and a second elongate upright (10.1, 10.2) configured to extend parallel to each other in vertical direction along the façade of a building; - a weather protective cover (20) extending between said first and second elongate upright (10.1, 10.2); - a first and a second holder (30.1. 30.2), wherein each holder is configured to be attached to a floor (210) of a building and comprises a first and a second guiding means (40, 41) for guiding movement of the respective first or second elongate upright (10.1,10.2) in vertical direction along the façade of the building wherein - each elongate upright (10.1, 10.2) comprises at least first and second guiding surfaces (11, 12) extending in longitudinal direction of each elongate upright, and - the first and the second guiding means (40, 41) of a respective holder (30.1, 30.2) are in contact with the at least first and second guiding surfaces (11, 12) of a respective elongate upright (10.1, 10.2).