All-Glass Railing Connector with Spacers for Emergency Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing railing connection systems for all-glass railings are complex, cumbersome, and often require additional drainage measures, compromising thermal insulation and emergency drainage efficiency, while being inflexible to different railing types and dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A connecting device with a substructure featuring a vertical connecting section and horizontal supporting section forming a T- or L-shaped cross-section, equipped with spacers that allow water to drain horizontally and vertically, ensuring easy installation and adaptability to various railings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a gutter is provided between the structure and the railing to drain water, then emergency drainage is ensured, but the device complexity increases and thermal insulation is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drainage function from a separate gutter system and integrates it into the connecting device itself. The connecting device includes a drainage channel and drain outlet that directly channel water from the railing support area to the outside, eliminating the need for additional gutter components between the structure and railing.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage function is merged with the structural support function in a single integrated connecting device. The vertical connecting section provides structural attachment while the horizontal supporting section with integrated drainage channel and drain outlet handles water drainage, combining multiple functions into one component.
2Reliability
If a gutter runs along the entire length of the railing to collect and drain water, then emergency drainage is achieved, but the volume of water to be drained increases and additional drainpipes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts water from the drainage path at multiple points along the railing length by providing multiple drain outlets in the horizontal supporting section. This prevents water accumulation and reduces the total volume that would otherwise be collected in a continuous gutter, allowing direct drainage without additional drainpipes.
3Reliability
If multiple parts and complex components are used in the connection device, then drainage function is achieved, but ease of manufacture and handling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting device is designed as a single integrated component that combines structural support functions (vertical connecting section, horizontal supporting section) with drainage functions (drainage channel, drain outlet) in one piece. This eliminates the need for multiple separate parts and complex assembly operations, significantly improving ease of manufacture and installation.
4Manufacturing precision
If the connection device is designed for specific railing types only, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to different railing types and dimensions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting device is designed with universal adaptability to accommodate different railing types and dimensions. The horizontal supporting section can support various railing configurations, and the drainage channel and drain outlets can be positioned to handle different water flow patterns, making the device applicable to multiple railing applications without requiring custom designs.
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
Facilitates efficient emergency drainage without collecting water, maintains thermal insulation, and allows modular design for different railing types and dimensions, enhancing ease of manufacturing and handling.
Implementation Method 1
one or more spacers (45), which are arranged or can be arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction between the supporting surface (43) of the support section (42) and an underside of a railing (50) placed thereon in such a way that any water from the emergency drainage can flow away horizontally transversely to the longitudinal direction between the supporting surface (43) and the underside of the railing (50)
Data Source
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AI summary
A connecting device for fastening a railing, in particular an all-glass railing (50), to a building or civil engineering structure is specified. The connecting device has a substructure (40) with a vertical connecting section (41) and a horizontal supporting section (42), which extend along a longitudinal direction (L) and together form a T- or L-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L). The connecting section (41) is designed for attaching the substructure (40) to a vertical surface of the building. The supporting section (42) forms a supporting surface (43) which is designed to support the railing.The connecting device also has one or more spacers (45) which are arranged or can be arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction (L) between the supporting surface (43) of the support section (42) and an underside (52) of the railing placed thereon in such a way that any water from the emergency drainage can flow away horizontally transversely to the longitudinal direction (L) between the supporting surface (43) and the underside (52) of the railing.