Rolling Gate Panel Connection Profile for Simpler Vehicle Shutter Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing commercial vehicle bodies with roller shutters are complex and expensive to manufacture, making them costly and difficult to produce.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a tongue profile connected to the panel base via a web, with a receptacle within the tongue circle that is accessible from outside, allowing for easy connection and pivoting of panels via corresponding groove profiles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional roller shutter designs with multiple connecting profiles are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidconnector design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting profile is segmented into modular components: a base body and a tongue element that can be separately manufactured and then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be produced using simpler, more cost-effective processes while maintaining the overall structural integrity of the roller shutter system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tongue element acts as an intermediary component that simplifies the connection between panels. Instead of requiring complex integrated connecting profiles, the tongue element provides a standardized interface that reduces manufacturing complexity while ensuring reliable mechanical connection and structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If complex connecting profiles are used to ensure reliable panel connection, then structural integrity is improved, but assembly time and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepanel connection reliabilityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The tongue and groove profiles are pre-formed as standardized components during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures that the connection geometry is precisely prepared in advance, allowing for rapid and reliable assembly without requiring complex on-site adjustments or operations, thereby reducing assembly time while maintaining connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The tongue element design provides a reproducible connection template that can be consistently manufactured and assembled. This copying approach ensures uniform connection quality across all panels while streamlining the assembly process, as workers can repeatedly apply the same connection method without dealing with varying complex profile geometries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4570546A1Commercial vehicle structure and commercial vehicle with a rolling gate
Publication Date: 2025.06.18 SCHMITZ CARGOBULL AG
  • EP4570546A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4570546A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4570546A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A commercial vehicle body (2) for a commercial vehicle with a roller shutter (8), comprising a wall element (9) that can be adjusted from a closed position to an open position and back, and a rail system (10) for guiding the wall element (9), wherein the wall element (9) has a series of panels (16, 17), wherein adjacent panels (16, 17) are connected to one another via an upper connecting profile (18) and a lower connecting profile (19), wherein at least one upper connecting profile (18) or a lower connecting profile (19) is designed as a spring profile (23) connected to a panel base body and having a spring region (25) that is at least semicircular in cross section,wherein the tongue profile (23) is positively connected to an upper connecting profile (18) or a lower connecting profile (19) in the form of a groove profile (22) connected to a panel base body (27), and wherein the semicircular tongue region (25) defines an imaginary spring circle (30) in cross-section. It is provided that the tongue profile (23) is connected to the panel base body (27) via at least one web (28) projecting outwardly beyond the spring circle (30) and has a receptacle (29) arranged within the spring circle (30) that is partially accessible from the outside through the groove profile (22) when connected to the tongue profile (23).