Commercial Vehicle Partition Wall Sealing Strips

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing partition systems in commercial vehicles require significant effort to pivot open due to negative pressure and air exchange issues, with lateral sealing strips losing contact and causing damage, necessitating a simplification of handling without increasing complexity.

Innovation Solution

An operating unit connected to the sealing strips allows for adjustable movement from retracted to extended positions, including the lower sealing strip, facilitating air flow and reducing the effort required to pivot the partition wall by retracting the lower sealing strip before opening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the partition wall is pivoted open to allow air exchange, then air flow between segments is improved, but negative pressure forms behind the partition wall making it difficult to pivot open

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair exchange capabilityVSAvoidpivoting effort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing strips are extended into contact with the side walls and floor before the partition wall is pivoted open. This preliminary action ensures that air exchange can occur through the sealed gaps when the partition is in the open position, while preventing negative pressure buildup during the pivoting process itself, as the seals are already in place to allow controlled air flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing strips are designed to be movable between retracted and extended positions. During the pivoting operation, the strips can be dynamically adjusted to the extended position to enable air exchange, and then retracted when the partition needs to be moved. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to different operational states, resolving the contradiction between maintaining seals and allowing air flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If lateral sealing strips are made movable to prevent damage to side walls, then protection of side walls is improved, but additional complexity is introduced to the partition wall structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage to side wallsVSAvoidpartition wall structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing strips are implemented as flexible elements that can move independently between retracted and extended positions. This flexibility allows them to adapt to the contours of the side walls and floor without requiring complex mechanical linkages or rigid structures. The simple, flexible design protects the side walls from damage while minimizing the overall complexity of the partition wall system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of operation

If the lower sealing strip is retracted before pivoting, then air flow is improved and pivoting effort is reduced, but additional manual operation is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepivoting effortVSAvoidoperating procedure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The operating unit combines multiple functions into a single integrated mechanism. By actuating this single unit, the sealing strips are extended or retracted in coordination with the pivoting operation, and the partition wall can be pivoted open or closed. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate manual operations to adjust sealing strips, simplifying the overall procedure while maintaining improved air flow and reduced pivoting effort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2703214B1Partition wall for a commercial vehicle and commercial vehicle with such a partition wall
Publication Date: 2018.11.07 SCHMITZ CARGOBULL AG
  • EP2703214B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2703214B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2703214B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The separating wall has sealing strips on the lower narrow side and the lateral narrow sides of the separating wall for sealing gaps between the separating wall and the utility vehicle structure. The sealing strips are adjustable from a retracted position into an extended position. A control unit is so connected with the sealing strips that the sealing strips are adjusted by actuating the control unit from retracted position to extended position and back. An independent claim is included for a utility vehicle structure with a front wall.