Operable Wall Assembly Automated Drive System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing operable wall systems require manual operation to move between deployed and stacked conditions, lacking an efficient drive system to transfer weight and facilitate automatic movement.
Innovation Solution
An operable wall assembly with end supports transferring the entire weight to the floor, a top support assembly with a track and chain runner system, and a prime mover or motor-driven sprocket mechanism to move wall panels between deployed and stacked conditions, allowing for automatic operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operation is used to move wall panels between deployed and stacked conditions, then the system structure remains simple, but operational efficiency is low and labor intensity is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated drive system consisting of a prime mover, drive sprocket, chain, and panel carriers. This substitution eliminates manual labor while providing automated movement of wall panels between deployed and stacked conditions, directly resolving the contradiction between operational efficiency and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive system is designed to automatically move wall panels without requiring external manual intervention. The prime mover activates the chain mechanism which self-propels the panel carriers along the track, enabling the system to service itself and achieve autonomous operation between deployed and stacked states.
2Productivity
If a drive system is added to enable automatic movement of wall panels, then operational efficiency improves, but the weight of the stationary structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system is segmented into distributed components: prime mover mounted on top support assembly, chain runners attached to individual panel carriers, and sprockets integrated at track ends. This segmentation allows the automated functionality to be added without requiring a complete structural overhaul, minimizing the weight increase of the stationary support structure while achieving automatic panel movement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If end supports transfer the entire weight to the floor for free-standing operation, then structural stability is improved, but the complexity of weight distribution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the weight-bearing function from the wall panels themselves and transfers it entirely to the end supports and top support assembly. By removing the panels' structural support role and making them purely operable components, the system achieves free-standing stability through dedicated support structures while simplifying the overall weight distribution mechanism.
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
Enables a free-standing operable wall system that can be automatically deployed and stowed, reducing manual effort and enhancing operational efficiency while maintaining structural stability and noise reduction.
Implementation Method 1
a chain supported by the chain runner and interconnected between a least one of the wall panels and the drive sprocket to move the wall panels between the deployed condition and stacked condition under the influence of the motor and chain
Implementation Method 2
a motor; a drive sprocket rotated by the motor
Implementation Method 3
first and second end supports transferring substantially the entire weight of the operable wall assembly to the floor
Data Source
AI summary
An operable wall assembly having a prime mover for deploying and stowing or stacking the wall panels. The operable wall assembly includes a control system for controlling operation of the prime mover and sensors for determining when the panels are fully deployed and fully stacked. The wall panel is installed by applying a three-point camber for spans in the range of 33-40 feet.