Roller Shutter Box Exit with Pre-Assembled Ball Joint Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing box exit devices for roller shutters require complex installations, are prone to misalignment, and have aesthetically unappealing visible screws, making them difficult to install and remove, especially at heights, and often necessitate specialized labor.
Innovation Solution
A box exit device comprising two elements with securing means allowing translation for positioning and rotation for removal, featuring clips and retaining means for secure fitting and easy disassembly, and a ball joint for crank operation without requiring disassembly of the control rod.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If screws are used to fix the ball joint bearing to the box wall, then the connection is secure, but the screws may tear out of the box under force and are visible which is unattractive
Solution Approach 1:
The visible screws and mounting holes are extracted from the final assembly by pre-assembling the ball joint bearing and screws into a separate mounting unit before insertion into the box. This removes the harmful visual elements and potential failure points from the visible box surface while maintaining the secure connection function.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is segmented into separate components: a mounting unit containing the ball joint bearing and screws pre-assembled together, and the box body. This allows the mounting unit to be inserted as a complete assembly through a hole in the box bottom, separating the fastening function from the visible surface.
2Ease of manufacture
If the box pass-through is installed by making openings in the bottom of the box and fixing a ball-and-socket bearing on the outside, then the ball joint can be housed, but several openings must be made in the wall which is complex and imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joint bearing and its fastening screws are pre-assembled into a complete mounting unit before insertion into the box. This preliminary assembly ensures proper alignment and positioning is built into the unit itself, eliminating the need for precise field installation and multiple separate openings in the box wall.
3Reliability
If the control rod is secured to the ball joint and passes through the box passage, then the connection between winder and crank is established, but removal of the actuating rod is difficult requiring work at height and removal of all screws
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into a permanent mounting unit (ball joint bearing with screws fixed to the box) and a removable control assembly (control rod with ball joint). This segmentation allows the control rod to be easily detached from the permanent mounting without requiring removal of screws from the box structure, enabling simple maintenance operations.
4Strength
If a second type of box-passing device with two elements sandwiching the lower wall is used, then the structure is more secure, but the connecting rod must be dismantled for removal and replacement requiring specialized installer
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting unit combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: the ball joint bearing, its fastening screws, and the connection interface for the control rod are all merged into one pre-assembled unit. This eliminates the need for complex multi-element sandwich structures while maintaining structural strength and simplifying installation and removal operations.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The output component (1), designed to receive a cranked operating lever controlling a roller shutter, has two elements (2, 3) of which the first is connected to the shutter housing and the second is able to engage with it. The first component has a plate (6) with a hole (8) and notch (9), and the second has clips (7) that can be inserted through the notch and then engage with the edge of the plate hole.