Shower Partition Rail Bonding for Easier Glass Pane Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower partition installation methods are cumbersome due to the need to loosen and tighten clamping screws for glass pane alignment and insertion, making assembly and disassembly awkward.
Innovation Solution
Wetting the glass pane surfaces with a mixture of water and a surface-tension-reducing agent, followed by applying an adhesive material layer, allows for easy insertion and alignment within a profile rail, with contact pressure from the rail's clamping effect securing the glass pane as the water evaporates, creating a firm connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clamping screws are used to fix the glass pane in the profile rail, then the glass pane can be securely held, but the assembly and disassembly process becomes cumbersome requiring repeated loosening and tightening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical screw-clamping system with an adhesive bonding system. The adhesive material is applied to the inner surface of the profile rail, and the glass pane is pressed against it, eliminating the need for screws and their associated loosening/tightening operations while maintaining secure holding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the bonding mechanism from mechanical (screw friction and clamping force) to chemical (adhesive bonding). This parameter change in the fixation method fundamentally simplifies the assembly process while ensuring reliable glass pane retention.
2Ease of operation
If adhesive material is applied to the profile rail for glass pane fixation, then assembly is simplified, but the adhesive needs time to bond requiring the glass pane to be held in position during evaporation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a clamping device as an intermediary element that temporarily holds the glass pane in the correct position during the adhesive evaporation period. This mediator ensures proper alignment and contact pressure without requiring complex fixtures or prolonged manual holding.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping device is designed to be easily applied before the adhesive fully bonds, establishing the correct position and contact pressure in advance. This preliminary action ensures that when the adhesive cures, the glass pane is already properly positioned and secured.
3Strength
If a movable clamping piece with clamping screws is used, then the glass pane can be firmly clamped, but the installation becomes cumbersome requiring loosening and tightening of screws
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the complex movable clamping piece with screws by substituting it with a simpler adhesive-based fixation system. The adhesive material provides sufficient bonding strength without requiring mechanical clamping components, thereby reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the screw mechanism from the clamping piece, retaining only the essential function of securing the glass pane through adhesive bonding. This extraction simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the necessary holding strength.
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
Facilitates simplified and efficient assembly of shower partitions by allowing easy glass pane insertion and alignment, enabling direct wall mounting without separate alignment profiles and allowing for easy disassembly and reuse of components.
Implementation Method 1
a material consisting of a layer of adhesive material is applied to the glass surface and the profile rail provided with the material is pushed in and aligned, with the profile rail exerting the necessary contact pressure against the surface of the glass pane due to its clamping effect during the evaporation of the water applied to the glass pane until the firm and tight connection between the profile rail and the glass pane is thereby restored
Implementation Method 2
during the evaporation of the water applied to the glass pane until the firm and tight connection between the profile rail and the glass pane is thereby restored
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a shower partition having a partition pane, which is inserted in at least one U-shaped profiled rail and is composed of glass, characterized in that an adhesive material coating (27) having an adhesive effect designed for a rigid connection to a glass surface is applied to the inner face of at least one leg (22) of the profiled rail (20) that lies on the glass pane installed in the profiled rail (20), and, after the glass pane (16), which has previously been wetted with a mixture comprising water and an agent that reduces the surface tension of the water, has been slid in and oriented, the profiled rail (20) has a position-fixing clamping effect on the glass pane (16) that has been inserted into the profiled rail (20) and positioned therein.