Thermal Insulation Reveal Element with Expanded Outer Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal insulation systems for building walls with openings, such as doors and windows, often lack sufficient space for guide rails due to reduced clear opening widths caused by thinner reveal elements, making it difficult to mount sun protection curtains like roller shutters in retrofitted buildings without compromising the building's structural integrity or increasing the effort required for installation.
Innovation Solution
The reveal elements between panel sections have a transverse connecting section that increases the clear opening width between the outer panel sections, allowing guide rails to be mounted outside the thermal insulation layer, with embedded fastening elements and a design that includes a cleaning strip and elastic seal for easy installation and sealing, respectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If thinner reveal elements are used for thermal insulation, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but clear opening width is reduced making guide rail installation impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The reveal element is designed with a stepped configuration extending in multiple dimensions: an inner panel section covering the wall reveal, an outer panel section covering the thermal insulation layer reveal, and a connecting section linking them. This multi-dimensional arrangement increases the clear opening width at the outer face to accommodate guide rails while maintaining thin profile at the inner face for thermal insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The reveal element is segmented into distinct functional sections: an inner panel section for wall coverage, an outer panel section for insulation layer coverage, and a connecting section for structural linkage. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized independently - the inner section maintains thermal efficiency while the outer section provides mounting space for guide rails.
2Length of stationary object
If reveal elements with increased clear opening width are used, then guide rail installation is enabled, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reveal element exhibits different properties at different locations: the inner panel section has minimal thickness optimized for thermal insulation, while the outer panel section extends outward to provide sufficient clear opening width for guide rail installation. The connecting section transitions between these two regions, creating local quality variations that simultaneously satisfy both thermal insulation and guide rail mounting requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If guide rails are mounted on reveal elements, then sun protection curtains can be installed, but structural integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The outer panel section acts as an intermediary element between the thermal insulation system and the guide rails. It provides a dedicated mounting surface for guide rails while being structurally integrated with the inner panel section through the connecting section, thereby enabling guide rail installation without compromising the overall structural integrity of the reveal element or the building wall.
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
This solution enables the installation of guide rails for sun protection curtains in retrofitted buildings by increasing the clear opening width and providing a secure, easily mountable, and sealable system that supports thermal insulation while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal insulation layer, the hard foam or mineral fiber panels
Implementation Method 2
The protective lip and/or the sealing strip preferably consists of an elastic material, such as rubber, silicone or plastic
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The wall (1) has soffit elements (9a, 9b) comprising connecting sections (13a, 13b) between inner plate sections (11a, 11b) and outer plate sections (12a, 12b). The connecting sections are connected with each other such that wall opening (2) between the outer plate sections has a larger light opening width than opening width between the inner plate sections. The connecting sections and guiding sections (17a, 17b) are externally arranged in front of a wall (2) in free spaces (15a, 15b) that are provided in lateral projection of a heat-insulating layer (3).