Roller Door Release Unit for Crash Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller doors with flexible curtains face challenges in managing lateral forces during crashes and wind loads, requiring multiple end strips with different limit values, leading to increased manufacturing costs and downtime due to frequent disruptions and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A roller door design featuring a release unit with a guide part and a wedge-shaped part, utilizing a resilient element and adjustable pretensioning force, allows the end strip to quickly exit the guide rail when a limit value is exceeded, minimizing damage and wind load impact, and can be retrofitted with modular components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the guide elements are made swivelable or flexible to allow deflection during crashes, then damage to the door curtain and end strip is avoided, but the guide elements may deflect out of the guides too early under wind load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of the guide element from a fixed rigid structure to a telescopic structure with variable length. The guide element can extend to engage the guide rail during normal operation (including wind load) and retract when a crash occurs, allowing the door curtain to deflect without damaging the guide elements. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by enabling the guide element to adapt its geometry based on the operational state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic behavior to the guide element through the telescopic mechanism. The guide element transitions from a static engaged state during normal operation to a dynamic retracted state during crash events. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain guide element stability during wind load while enabling damage-free deflection during crashes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple end strips with different limit values are produced for special applications, then the roller door can be adapted to different uses, but manufacturing costs and investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single guide element universal by equipping it with a telescopic mechanism and adjustable pretensioning force. The same guide element design can be used across different applications (outside gates, room dividers, etc.) by adjusting the pretensioning force parameter, eliminating the need to produce multiple specialized end strip variants. This universality resolves the contradiction by enabling one design to serve multiple functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter adjustment (pretensioning force) to adapt the guide element to different applications rather than creating different physical designs. By changing the pretensioning force parameter, the same guide element can be optimized for different limit values required in various applications, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
3Strength
If the guide elements can exit the guides quickly during crashes, then damage is minimized, but production downtime increases when manual intervention is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service functionality through the telescopic guide element mechanism. When a crash occurs, the guide element automatically retracts due to the sudden lateral force exceeding the pretensioning force, enabling quick deflection without manual intervention. After the crash, the guide element can be automatically re-engaged by the moving door curtain, minimizing production downtime and eliminating the need for manual repair operations.
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 enhances the door's ability to absorb wind loads and reduce downtime by allowing quick deflection of guiding parts during crashes, while reducing manufacturing costs through modular design and adjustable settings.
Implementation Method 1
a force-storing, preferably resilient element (17) through which the openings are guided, whose ends (24) are attached by means of a clamping element (25) to a rear end face (26) of the guide part (14)
Implementation Method 2
a wedge-shaped part (20) guided on the guide part (14), whose outer surfaces (43, 44) engage in a form-fit manner with the inner surfaces (41, 42) of a wedge-shaped recess (19)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A roller door comprising a door curtain made of flexible material, a rotatably mounted, driveable winding shaft for receiving and moving the door curtain, door columns having essentially vertically oriented guide rails for guiding the door curtain, means for detecting the lower and upper end positions of the door curtain for the purpose of switching off a drive unit, and means for generating a curtain tension that acts on the lower section of the door curtain at least during the "opening" and "closing" movements, wherein the door curtain guided in the guide rails of the door columns has a bottom rail in its lower area, with a release unit arranged on each of its end faces, wherein movable parts of the release unit engage in the corresponding guide rail of the door columns.