Retractable Doorway Covering With Stabilized Movable Rail
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing retractable panel systems for architectural openings suffer from aesthetic interruptions due to interference between carriers and the trolley, as carriers move along the headrail on a common track with the trolley, disrupting the panel's appearance.
Innovation Solution
A retractable panel system featuring a trolley with a horizontal leg supported on tracks within the headrail and a stabilizing cord system that maintains the movable vertical rail parallel to the fixed rail, allowing the carriers to move without interfering with the trolley, ensuring a smooth and aesthetically pleasing operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If carriers are used to suspend the panel from the headrail and allow movement along the headrail, then the panel can be retractable and movable, but the carriers interfere with the trolley and create aesthetic interruptions in the panel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the carriers that were previously used to suspend the panel from the headrail. Instead, the panel is suspended directly from the headrail, eliminating the interfering carriers while maintaining the panel's retractability and movement capability along the headrail.
2Reliability
If carriers move along the headrail on a common track with the trolley, then the panel can be supported and moved, but the carriers and trolley interfere with each other at the connection point
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the carriers that shared the common track with the trolley. The panel is now suspended directly from the headrail, removing the source of interference between carriers and trolley while maintaining reliable panel support through the direct suspension system.
3Ease of operation
If the movable rail is allowed to move horizontally along the headrail, then the panel can extend and retract, but the movable rail may lose vertical orientation causing the horizontal leg of the trolley to tilt
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a stabilizing cord system that acts as an intermediary between the movable rail and the headrail. These cords maintain the vertical orientation of the movable rail during horizontal movement, preventing tilting of the trolley's horizontal leg while allowing full extension and retraction of the panel.
Data Source
AI summary
A horizontally retractable covering for an architectural opening includes a headrail supporting a collapsible panel of material, a fixed rail securable to a side of the architectural opening and to a side edge of the panel, and a movable rail secured to the opposite side of the panel while being movable along the length of the headrail. An improved trolley connecting the top end of the movable rail to the headrail is provided so as to permit uniform gathering of the panel material along the horizontal extent of the trolley for improved aesthetics when the panel is fully extended across the architectural opening. A stabilizing cord system maintains a parallel relationship of the movable rail to the fixed rail to assure desired movement of the movable rail while permitting the aforenoted uniform gathering of the panel material.