Movable Partition Directional Control Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Movable partitions, such as foldable doors, often experience lateral displacement of their lower edges relative to the upper edges during deployment, leading to improper alignment with mating receptacles, which can compromise sealing and barrier effectiveness, especially in fire or security applications, and existing solutions like floor tracks are unsightly, prone to debris accumulation, and difficult to install on uneven surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A directional control apparatus is introduced, featuring a frame member with roller assemblies and a steering actuator, coupled with sensors to detect deviations from a vertical orientation and correct them, ensuring proper alignment and operation without the need for additional floor tracks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If floor tracks are used to guide the movable partition, then lateral displacement is prevented and alignment is improved, but the installation becomes more complex and the appearance is degraded due to debris accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the floor track from the system entirely, extracting the guiding function from the floor and relocating it to the partition structure itself through vertical guides and lateral guide rollers, thereby eliminating the aesthetic and maintenance problems associated with floor tracks while maintaining alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional floor-based guidance to three-dimensional guidance by incorporating vertical guides along the edges of the partition and lateral guide rollers that operate in multiple directions, providing comprehensive alignment control without requiring floor installation
2Reliability
If floor tracks are installed to maintain alignment, then lateral displacement is controlled, but the system becomes more complex and difficult to install on uneven surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment mechanisms including telescopic vertical guides that can extend and retract, and laterally adjustable guide rollers that can adapt their position in real-time, allowing the system to maintain alignment stability on uneven surfaces without requiring complex fixed installations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes adjustable parameters such as the vertical position of guide rollers, the extension length of telescopic guides, and the lateral positioning of rollers to adapt to varying surface conditions, maintaining reliable alignment through parameter adjustment rather than complex structural design
3Device complexity
If the lower edge of the partition is allowed to displace laterally, then the structure remains simple, but the engagement with mating receptacles becomes improper and sealing is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces guide rollers and vertical guides as intermediary elements between the partition edges and the surrounding structure, these intermediaries maintain proper alignment and engagement precision without requiring complex modifications to the partition structure itself, preserving structural simplicity while ensuring precise engagement
Data Source
AI summary
Various apparatuses, methods and systems for directionally controlling a movable partition are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus may include at least one roller assembly coupled to a portion of a movable partition. A roller element of the roller assembly may be configured to maintain contact with an adjacent surface (e.g., a floor) while the partition is displaced along a desired path even though the adjacent surface may exhibit unevenness, undulations or other substantially nonplanar surface features. In one embodiment, the apparatus may be configured to maintain a substantially constant force between the roller element and the adjacent surface. In another embodiment, the apparatus may be configured to maintain a force between the roller element and the adjacent surface substantially within a specified range. A steering actuator may also be used to select, or change, the orientation of the roller assembly with respect to the partition.