Sliding Door Carriage with Adjustable Guide Element

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Solution Overview

Problem

Larger sliding walls with multiple panels require multiple parking spaces, leading to inflexibility in panel placement due to fixed guide channel engagement, and current solutions for adjustable systems are costly and require rotating end sashes.

Innovation Solution

A switching device allows guide elements to be adjusted between engagement and release positions, enabling manual selection of parking spaces without modifying the existing track system, using a common switching device for both guide elements to ensure continuous guidance and reduce production costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the guide element is fixed in engagement with the guide channel, then lateral forced guidance is ensured, but flexibility in selecting parking spaces is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelateral forced guidanceVSAvoidflexibility in parking space selection
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element is made dynamically adjustable between two positions: engaged with the guide channel for forced lateral guidance, and disengaged from the guide channel for flexible parking space selection. This dynamic switching capability resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to adapt its guidance characteristics based on operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The position parameter of the guide element is changed between two discrete states (engaged/disengaged) to switch between forced guidance mode and flexible parking mode. This parameter change enables the system to overcome the contradiction between reliability of guidance and adaptability of parking space selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If adjustable points are provided on the support and guide rail arrangement to access multiple parking spaces, then flexibility is improved, but outlay increases undesirably

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of parking spacesVSAvoidoutlay for adjustable support system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment capability is extracted from the fixed support and guide rail arrangement and concentrated into a single movable guide element on the carriage. Instead of making the entire support system adjustable, only the guide element is made adjustable, significantly reducing the complexity and outlay while maintaining the ability to access multiple parking spaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustable guide element acts as an intermediary between the carriage and the multiple parking spaces. It provides the necessary adaptability for accessing different parking spaces without requiring the entire support structure to be complex and adjustable, thus resolving the contradiction between flexibility and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If a common switching device controls multiple guide elements, then production costs are reduced, but coordination of guide element positioning becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidcoordination mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple guide elements are merged under the control of a single common switching device. This consolidation reduces the number of independent control mechanisms needed, lowering production costs and simplifying manufacturing while the mechanical design ensures proper coordination of the guide elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2884032B1Sliding wall or sliding door system
Publication Date: 2016.04.13 GEZE GMBH
  • EP2884032B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2884032B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2884032B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A sliding wall or sliding door system comprises at least one leaf (11) which is movably suspended on a support and guide rail arrangement (14) by means of at least one carriage (12), wherein the carriage or a further carriage (12) has at least one guide element (27) for lateral forced guidance, which is provided for engagement in a guide channel (36) of the support and guide rail arrangement (14). The guide element (27) is movably mounted on a base body (19) of the carriage (12) and is adjustable by means of a switching device (39, 40) between a guide position engaging in the associated guide channel (36) and a release position moved out of the associated guide channel (36).