Shadow Gap Guide Element for Door Rain Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing external doors face challenges in maintaining impermeability to driving rain due to the shadow gap between the frame and the door leaf, especially with zero barrier designs, where water accumulation and capillary action lead to sealing failures, and the use of additional components like weatherboards and drainage systems results in soiling and reduced effectiveness over time.
Innovation Solution
A guide element is positioned at the lower end of the outer rebate seal in the shadow gap to direct water flow away from the door sill and into a drainage system, enhancing water drainage and reducing the risk of water penetration through the seal, which can be retrofitted to existing doors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a shadow gap is formed between the frame and door leaf, then accessibility and modern design are improved, but water penetration and sealing reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple independent sealing levels (first, second, and third sealing levels) positioned at different heights within the shadow gap. Each sealing level contains separate seals that can independently prevent water penetration, so if one seal fails or is overwhelmed, others remain effective. This segmentation transforms a single-point-of-failure system into a redundant multi-layer defense system.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing approach transitions from a single horizontal sealing plane to a three-dimensional multi-level sealing structure. Seals are positioned at different vertical heights (first sealing level at top, second at middle, third at bottom of shadow gap), creating vertical dimensionality. This allows water to be blocked at multiple heights, preventing channeling effects that would compromise a single-level seal.
2Reliability
If additional sealing components like weatherboards and drainage systems are added, then water protection is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sealing functions are merged into a single integrated shadow gap structure. The first, second, and third sealing levels are all positioned within the same shadow gap space between frame and door leaf, combining what would traditionally require separate weatherboards, thresholds, and drainage components into one unified system. This reduces overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive water protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The shadow gap structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the aesthetic and accessible gap space, contains three levels of water sealing, and integrates drainage pathways. The same structural space that enables modern design also houses the complete sealing system, eliminating the need for separate dedicated sealing components and reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If a threshold is used to achieve driving rain tightness, then sealing performance is improved, but accessibility and zero barrier design are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented across three vertical levels within the shadow gap rather than concentrated in a single threshold structure. The first sealing level at the top, second level in the middle, and third level at the bottom create distributed sealing points that prevent water channeling without requiring a physical threshold barrier, maintaining zero barrier accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system transitions from a horizontal threshold barrier to a vertical multi-level sealing arrangement within the shadow gap. By positioning seals at different heights (vertical dimension) rather than relying on a horizontal threshold elevation, the system achieves driving rain tightness while maintaining floor-level accessibility and zero barrier design.
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 solution effectively minimizes water accumulation on the door sill, enhances the impermeability to driving rain, and reduces the risk of sealing failures, particularly in outward-opening doors with butt hinges, by ensuring controlled drainage and reducing the burden on the sill seal.
Implementation Method 1
A guide element is positioned at the lower end of the outer rebate seal in the shadow gap to direct water flow away from the door sill and into a drainage system
Implementation Method 2
inner and outer stop seals made of elastic material being arranged between window frame profile and window frame profile
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A door or window, particularly one with aluminum profiles, is shown and described, comprising a frame (1, 1') composed of individual frame profiles (2, 22) and a door leaf (3, 3') hinged to it, consisting of a continuous sash frame profile (4, 24). Inner and outer stop seals (9i, 9a) made of elastic material are arranged between the frame profile (2, 22) and the sash frame profile (4, 24), and a shadow gap (SF) is formed between the frame (1, 1') and the door leaf (3, 3'). To enable controlled drainage of surface water accumulating in the shadow gap (SF) and thus improve resistance to driving rain, at least one guide element (19A and 19B) acting as a sealing termination is arranged in the shadow gap (SF) at the respective lower end of the outer stop seal (9a).