Sectional Door Panel Asymmetry for Thermal Insulation and Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sectional doors for automobile garages face challenges in providing effective thermal insulation while maintaining simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and aesthetic appeal, particularly in concealing the proximal transverse return when closed.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates panels with a front part and a rear part, each with lateral extensions, where the front part is entirely located between the frame uprights in the closed position, and a seal is applied to the front part, with a thermally insulating filling in the hollow space between the parts, ensuring a total thickness greater than 45 mm and a seal arrangement that is largely invisible from the outside.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the panel thickness is increased to improve thermal insulation, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The panel is divided into a front part and a rear part with different lengths in the longitudinal horizontal direction. The front part has length L1 and the rear part has length L2, where L2 > L1. This segmentation allows the panel to achieve greater effective thickness for thermal insulation without requiring a uniformly thick complex structure throughout, thereby improving thermal insulation performance while controlling manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the panel have different local properties - the front part and rear part have different lengths to optimize their respective functions. The front part is positioned between the upright assemblies where it provides sealing and insulation, while the rear part extends further to enhance the overall thermal mass and insulation effect. This local differentiation allows optimized thermal performance without uniform complexity throughout the entire panel structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the proximal transverse return is made visible to simplify the structure, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but aesthetic quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The panel employs asymmetric design where the front part and rear part have different lengths (L1 and L2 respectively, with L2 > L1). This asymmetry allows the panel to conceal the proximal transverse return behind the extended rear part while maintaining a clean, flush appearance at the front. The asymmetric configuration achieves aesthetic quality by hiding structural elements without requiring complex additional components, thus preserving manufacturing simplicity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the panel structure is simplified to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The panel is segmented into front and rear parts of different lengths, allowing cost-effective manufacturing through standardized production of modular sections. The segmentation enables the use of simpler manufacturing processes for each section while the combined structure achieves superior thermal insulation performance, thus reducing overall manufacturing cost without compromising thermal insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel utilizes parameter variation by changing the length parameter along the longitudinal horizontal direction - the front part has length L1 and the rear part has length L2 > L1. This parameter change allows optimization of thermal insulation performance by increasing effective thickness where needed, while maintaining cost-effectiveness through simpler construction in other areas, thereby improving thermal insulation without proportionally increasing manufacturing cost.
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
This configuration enhances thermal insulation, maintains a simple and cost-effective structure, and provides a high aesthetic quality by minimizing the visibility of the proximal transverse return when the door is closed, while offering improved thermal performance.
Implementation Method 1
a panel (11) specifically intended for such a sectional door (1), having a spaced outer front face (12a) and inner rear face (12b), as well as two side edges (13), two longitudinal edges (14a, 14b) and a thermally insulating infill (15)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
A sectional door (1) comprises a frame (6) with two side assemblies (6a) with a front core (8), guide rail (9) and load-bearing part (8b) of a retaining part (10a) of a seal (10) with an application part (10b) on the sash (7); a sash (7) with panels (11) with an external front face (12a), an internal rear face (12b), side edges (13), longitudinal edges (14a, 14b) and infill (15), hinges and rollers (16); means for operating and driving the sash (11a);such that a panel (11) has a front part (17a) and a rear part (17b) having laterally a lateral extension (18), a side edge (13) with lateral extension (18) forming a rebate (19), the total thickness of the panel (11) being the sum of that of its front part (17a) and that of its rear part (17b), so that, in the closed position, considered in the longitudinal horizontal direction (H), the front part (17a) of the panel (11) is entirely located between the two lateral upright assemblies (6a) extending to their vicinity, while the joint (10) comes to rest on the front part (17a) of the panel (11).;