Roller Shutter Guide Rail With Elastic Clamping Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional roller shutter and sunshade guides experience dimensional variations due to manufacturing tolerances and coating thickness inconsistencies, leading to misalignment and suboptimal guidance, which affects sealing and sun protection quality.

Innovation Solution

A guide rail system comprising a main profile, a removable profile, a locking profile, and an elastically deformable clamping member that ensures secure connection and compensates for dimensional variations while concealing mechanical fasteners.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If profiles are assembled together using conventional extrusion and coating methods, then manufacturing flexibility and ease of manufacture are improved, but dimensional variations occur leading to misalignment and suboptimal guidance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing flexibilityVSAvoiddimensional accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rail system incorporates adjustment mechanisms that allow modification of geometric parameters (position, orientation) of profile segments after assembly. This enables compensation for dimensional variations introduced during extrusion and coating processes, maintaining guidance precision despite manufacturing tolerances

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The guide rail is divided into multiple adjustable profile segments rather than a single rigid structure. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each segment to compensate for cumulative dimensional variations, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing flexibility and dimensional accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If profiles are securely connected using screws or fasteners, then structural strength and reliability are improved, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to visible fasteners

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidaesthetic appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Cosmetic covers or caps are introduced as intermediary elements that conceal the mechanical fasteners while allowing the profiles to remain securely connected. This mediator layer preserves both the structural strength of screwed connections and the aesthetic appearance of a seamless guide rail

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stability of the object's composition

If profiles are rigidly fixed relative to each other, then structural stability is improved, but ability to compensate for dimensional variations is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcompensation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rail system transitions from a rigid fixed-connection design to a dynamic adjustable design. Profiles can be positioned and locked at different locations along adjustment ranges, providing both stability when locked and adaptability during adjustment, thus resolving the contradiction between structural stability and compensation capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 maintains precise alignment and optimal guidance of roller shutters or sunshades, enhancing aesthetic appearance and functional performance by stabilizing profiles and hiding fastening mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

un elastro deformable que ejerce presión sobre el perfil de bloqueo para garantizar la cooperación de este último con el perfil principal y el perfil extraíble

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4219878B1Guiding rail for a roller shutter or the like
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 SOPROFEN SARL
  • EP4219878B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4219878B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4219878B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a slide (1) for guiding a roller shutter or similar device used to close or open an opening, comprising at least: - a main profile (2) forming one of the longitudinal edges of a guide slot (3), - a removable profile (4) cooperating in a functional position with said main profile (2) to form the other longitudinal edge of the guide slot (3), and - a locking profile (5) adapted to cooperate with the main profile (2) and removable profile (4) to maintain said removable profile (4) in its functional position, said slide (1) being notable in that it comprises an elastically deformable clamping member (6) removably attached to the removable profile (4) and being shaped to exert pressure on the locking profile (5) so as to guarantee its cooperation with the main profile (2) and the removable profile (4).