Rotatable Door Drainage Tray for Sliding Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drainage systems for horizontally sliding doors or windows face challenges in efficiently draining water from both the inner and outer sides without allowing air infiltration, leading to water stagnation and air leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
A drainage system featuring a drainage tray with rotatable doors and intermediate supports that can be easily mounted and dismounted, allowing for effective drainage of both sides while preventing air infiltration, utilizing a tray design that extends below the drainage opening to collect water and includes a stop to secure the tray in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a drainage tray with a rotatable door is used to drain water from the outer side, then drainage capacity is improved, but air infiltration occurs when draining both inner and outer sides
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage tray is divided into two separate functional sections: a first drainage opening for the outer side and a second drainage opening for the inner side. Each opening has its own door mechanism (first door and second door) that can operate independently. This segmentation allows the system to drain from either side or both sides simultaneously without causing air infiltration, as each door seals its respective opening when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The doors are designed to be rotatable about transverse axes, allowing them to dynamically switch between open and closed positions. The first door rotates to uncover the first drainage opening for outer side drainage, while the second door rotates to uncover the second drainage opening for inner side drainage. This dynamic mechanism enables selective opening/closing to prevent air infiltration while maintaining high drainage capacity.
2Ease of operation
If a drainage tray is inserted through a slot in the transverse element, then ease of installation is improved, but the tray may become dislodged during operation
Solution Approach 1:
A stop element is introduced as an intermediary component between the drainage tray and the tubular duct. The stop engages with a corresponding feature on the tray (such as a protrusion or groove) to mechanically retain the tray in its inserted position within the tubular duct. This intermediary element prevents the tray from becoming dislodged during operation while maintaining the simple insertion-through-slot installation method.
3Productivity
If the door is raised to uncover the discharge opening for drainage, then water flow is improved, but the door may rotate unintentionally
Solution Approach 1:
The stop element is positioned to engage with the door at a predetermined location that corresponds to the closed position. This preliminary engagement prevents the door from rotating unintentionally by providing a mechanical constraint before any unintended rotation can occur. When drainage is needed, the door can be deliberately opened by overcoming this stop, ensuring controlled operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop acts as an intermediary mechanical constraint between the door and its mounting structure. It provides a positive stop that prevents over-rotation or unintentional movement of the door, while still allowing controlled rotation when needed for drainage. This intermediary element stabilizes the door in both closed and open positions.
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 system achieves high drainage capacity, prevents water stagnation, and minimizes air infiltration, ensuring effective water management and maintaining a sealed environment.
Implementation Method 1
a door (19) rotatable about a transverse axis between: a first position, in which it is raised away from the front wall towards the external environment so as to at least partially uncover the discharge opening (14) obtained in the front wall itself to let the drained water flow out
Implementation Method 2
an intermediate support (18) obtained in a position defined between the front wall (12) and the rear wall (13) at a non-null distance therefrom and that is arranged upstream, with respect to the insertion direction of the drainage tray (11) into the tubular duct (103), of the drainage opening (106)
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
Drainage system (10) for horizontally sliding doors or windows, comprising a fixed transverse element (100) provided with at least one support rail (101) adapted to support at least one door or window leaf (200), at least one channel (102) extending parallel with respect to the rail (101) and at least one tubular duct (103) extending along the transverse element (100) and that has an outer lateral wall (104) and an upper wall (105) defining the bottom of the channel (102), wherein the upper wall (105) is crossed by at least one drainage opening (106) and the outer lateral wall (104) is crossed by at least one slot (107), a drainage tray (11) insertable into the tubular duct (103) through the slot (107) and which is adapted to extend under the drainage opening (106), wherein the drainage tray (11) has a front wall (12), which is adapted to cover the slot (107) and which is provided with at least one discharge opening (14), and a rear wall (13), which is opposed with respect to the front wall (12) and is adapted to be housed within the tubular duct (103), wherein the drainage tray (11) comprises at least one intermediate support (18) which is obtained in correspondence of at least a respective position defined between the front wall (12) and the rear wall (13) at a non-null distance with respect to the same and suitable for rotatably supporting at least a respective door (19) about an axis of rotation (A) transverse to the drainage tray (11) between a first position, in which it is lifted toward the front wall (12) away from the rear wall (13), and a second position, in which said door (19) is substantially parallel with respect to the front wall (12) thus realizing a septum dividing the drainage tray (11) into respective longitudinal compartments, wherein the drainage opening (106) opens into the downward compartment, with respect to the insertion direction of the drainage tray (11) into the tubular duct (103), of the septum.