Sectional Roller Gate Smoke-Tight Sealing Design

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sectional roller doors are not effective in preventing smoke and gas penetration due to gaps between the door sections and guides, with sealing only occurring at high temperatures, failing to provide adequate smoke-tightness in commercial and public facilities.

Innovation Solution

The integration of elastic, smoke-tight jackets made of non-combustible materials like fiberglass, combined with vertical and horizontal sealing strips and profiles within the guides, ensures effective sealing across the perimeter and at joints, enhancing smoke-tightness across a wide temperature range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional roller door structure with gaps between sections and guides is used, then ease of manufacture and operation is maintained, but smoke-tightness is insufficient as sealing only occurs at high temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmoke-tightnessVSAvoidsealing structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is divided into multiple independent sealing strips positioned at different locations: vertical sealing strips at lateral edges, horizontal sealing strips at top and bottom edges, and additional sealing strips at joint areas. Each sealing strip independently addresses specific gap locations, providing comprehensive smoke-tightness without requiring a single complex sealing mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Elastic sealing strips are introduced as intermediary elements between the door sections and the guides. These sealing strips physically fill the gaps and spaces that exist in the traditional structure, creating a barrier that prevents smoke penetration while maintaining the original structural configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If swelling gaskets are used that only activate at high temperatures, then device complexity is minimized, but smoke-tightness is delayed until fire conditions are severe

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmoke-tightnessVSAvoidactivation temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic sealing strips are pre-installed in positions that allow them to immediately contact and seal against the door sections and guides. Unlike swelling gaskets that remain inactive until high temperatures cause expansion, these sealing strips are already in place and functional from the beginning, providing smoke-tightness from normal operating conditions through fire conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing mechanism transitions from temperature-dependent swelling action to continuous elastic contact. The elastic sealing strips maintain constant contact pressure through their elastic properties, providing reliable sealing across a wide temperature range without requiring thermal activation or volume expansion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If multiple sealing strips and jackets are added to ensure smoke-tightness at all temperatures, then smoke-tightness is improved, but manufacturing and installation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmoke-tightnessVSAvoidsealing system installation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is divided into multiple independent, standardized sealing strips that can be manufactured separately and installed in modular fashion. Each sealing strip is a discrete component that addresses a specific sealing location, making the overall system easier to manufacture and install compared to a single integrated complex sealing mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 significantly improves smoke-tightness by ensuring effective sealing at all temperatures, preventing smoke and gas penetration, even before high temperatures are reached, thus providing a reliable barrier in fire scenarios.

Implementation Method 1

vertical, elastic sealing strips that abut the sectional sheet from both sides

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The smoke-tight jacket is preferably made of a non-combustible fabric, particularly fiberglass

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP2703594B1Sectional roller gate
Publication Date: 2015.04.08 MALKOWSKI ZENON
  • EP2703594B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2703594B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2703594B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The door has a sheet (1) that consists of horizontally arranged sections (2) interconnected by joints, and wound on a rotating shaft (3). Multiple rail-like guides (5)with C-shaped cross section are slidably attached to the lateral edges of the sheet. An elastic smoke-tight casing (6) is attached to the end surfaces of the sheet. An upper elastic sealing strip (12) is horizontally attached to the edge of a support beam (11). The elastic sealing strips (13) are horizontally mounted in a base (14) on both sides of the sheet in a closed condition.