Profiled Sealing Element for Joint Air and Vapor Tightness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional joint sealing systems for buildings require handling multiple materials, leading to increased installation time and error probability, while failing to efficiently achieve the necessary air and vapor tightness and permeability requirements, especially in extreme weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A single-material joint sealing strip with a profiled design featuring varying thickness sections, where the thicker section is more compressible and provides a higher barrier effect for air and vapor diffusion, allowing for simpler, faster, and less error-prone installation, while maintaining the necessary permeability differences between interior and exterior sides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional joint seal uses three different materials (foam system, permeable film, impermeable film), then the air and vapor tightness requirements can be met, but the installation time increases and the probability of errors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines three separate materials (foam system, permeable film, impermeable film) into a single integrated sealing element with a multi-layer structure. The first section contains the foam core with impermeable film for interior sealing, while the second section has foam with permeable film for exterior vapor diffusion, all in one piece that eliminates handling multiple separate materials during installation
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is divided into two distinct sections along its length: a first section with greater thickness providing air and vapor barrier function, and a second section with lesser thickness providing vapor diffusion function. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function while being part of a single integrated element
2Reliability
If a conventional joint seal uses three different materials, then the vapor diffusion requirements can be met, but the complexity of handling multiple materials increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functional materials into a single composite sealing element where the first section provides air and vapor barrier properties through foam and impermeable film, while the second section provides vapor diffusion through foam and permeable film, reducing material complexity from three separate materials to one integrated component
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the sealing element have different material compositions and properties: the first section is designed with impermeable characteristics for interior protection, while the second section has permeable characteristics for exterior vapor escape, allowing each local region to have the quality needed for its specific function
3Reliability
If the sealing element has greater thickness in the first section, then the barrier effect for air and vapor diffusion is improved, but the compression force distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element has different thicknesses in different sections: the first section has greater thickness to provide enhanced barrier effect against air and vapor diffusion, while the second section has lesser thickness. This local variation in geometry allows each section to provide the appropriate level of sealing for its location without requiring uniform compression across the entire element
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
The solution enables quicker and more reliable installation of a thermally insulated system with improved air and vapor tightness, maintaining performance across various weather conditions without the need for multiple materials, and simplifies the installation process by using a single material.
Implementation Method 1
it will be installed between the edge area of a component, such as a frame of a window or a door, and the connection area of a building, such as the masonry, and is compressed more at the point where it is thicker than at the point where it is thinner
Implementation Method 2
the outer part of the seal should be more permeable to air and in particular to steam, so that any moisture that has penetrated can diffuse better to the outside
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The sealing element has an installation edge (18) and is transverse to the latitudinal width in a thickness direction. The sealing element has an installation edge facing an edge area and the connecting area, and is so formed that its thickness varies between two sections (11,13). An independent claim is included for a thermally insulated system.