Rotational Locking Structural Panels for Screwless CLT Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current structural panels in building construction, particularly those made of cross-laminated timber (CLT), rely on steel screws for connection, which increase the CO2 footprint and complicate the building process due to the need for labor-intensive screwing, leading to inefficiencies in both material and labor costs.
Innovation Solution
A set of structural panels featuring a mechanical locking system that uses a rotational movement to connect panels, reducing the need for steel screws and facilitating quicker assembly, thereby minimizing the CO2 footprint and enhancing the efficiency of the building process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If steel screws are used to connect structural panels, then the connection strength is ensured, but the CO2 footprint increases and the building process becomes more labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes steel screws from the connection system and replaces them with a purely mechanical locking system made of wood. The locking members are integrated into the structural panels themselves, extracting the harmful steel fasteners while maintaining connection functionality through a wood-to-wood interlocking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the screw-based mechanical connection system with a rotational locking mechanism. The locking members engage through a rotating motion that transforms from an unlocked to a locked position, substituting the screw threading mechanism with a rotational interlocking system that eliminates steel fasteners.
2Strength
If steel screws are used to connect structural panels, then the connection is secure, but the building process requires more labor and time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual screwing operation with a rotational locking mechanism. The locking members are designed to engage through a simple rotating motion, substituting the labor-intensive screw driving process with a faster mechanical engagement that requires minimal manual intervention while maintaining secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking members are pre-configured in the structural panels during manufacturing, with the locking geometry and engagement surfaces prepared in advance. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid on-site assembly without requiring complex field operations, as the panels are designed to lock together through their inherent geometry.
3Productivity
If a rotational locking mechanism is used, then the assembly speed increases, but the mechanical complexity of the connection system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the locking mechanism directly into the structural panels themselves, integrating the locking members as integral parts of the panel construction. This consolidation eliminates separate fastening components and reduces overall system complexity while enabling rapid rotational engagement for fast assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A set of structural panels comprising a first structural panel (10′), a second structural panel (10″) and a mechanical locking system (30), wherein the mechanical locking system comprises: a first locking member (31) arranged at an edge of the first structural panel (10′) and comprising at least two layers of a load bearing laminate of layers (20) of the first structural panel (10′); a second locking member (32) arranged at an edge of the second structural panel (10″) and comprising at least two layers of a load bearing laminate of layers of the second structural panel (10″); wherein the mechanical locking system is configured to form an unlocked disposition (40) and a locked disposition (41), wherein the mechanical locking system is configured to connect the first structural panel (10′) to the second structural panel (10″) by a rotational movement of the second structural panel (10″) in relation to the first structural panel (10′), the rotational movement going from the unlocked disposition to the locked disposition (41).