Sliding Door Profile Chamber for Thermal Loss Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sliding doors experience significant thermal bridging when in a closed or locked position, leading to energy losses due to heat transfer from one side to the other, which existing insulating means within the profiles of the movable frame have not adequately addressed.

Innovation Solution

A profile for the movable frame of a sliding leaf with a chamber housing locking means, where the locking elements and operating means project through the rear and front walls respectively, minimizing heat transfer by optimizing the locking mechanism's position and configuration, allowing for reduced thermal losses while maintaining functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the locking mechanism is housed within the movable frame profile, then the thermal insulation is improved, but the operating means becomes inaccessible when the profile is received within the stationary frame's channel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal lossesVSAvoidaccessibility of operating means
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The operating means is configured to extend in a direction substantially parallel to the panel surface rather than perpendicular to it, allowing it to protrude from the movable frame in a direction that maintains accessibility even when the profile is received within the stationary frame's channel, thus resolving the contradiction between thermal insulation and operational accessibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the operating means projects from the movable frame along a line normal to the panel, then the locking mechanism is easily accessible, but the profile cannot be fully received within the stationary frame's channel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of operating meansVSAvoidprofile reception within channel
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The operating means is oriented to extend parallel to the panel surface rather than perpendicular to it, changing the dimensional direction of projection. This allows the operating means to remain accessible while the profile cross-section is minimized in the direction normal to the panel, enabling full reception within the stationary frame's channel

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of energy

If insulating means are inserted within the profiles of the movable frame, then thermal losses are reduced, but the locking mechanism space is constrained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal lossesVSAvoidlocking mechanism configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The profile cross-section is divided into multiple chambers, with specific chambers allocated for insulating means and other chambers reserved for housing the locking mechanism. This segmentation allows both thermal insulation and locking mechanism functionality to coexist within the same profile structure without compromising either function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The locking mechanism and operating means are arranged to utilize the depth dimension of the profile rather than occupying the entire cross-sectional area. By positioning the locking mechanism in a plane parallel to the panel surface and extending the operating means in the same direction, the design efficiently uses available space while maintaining thermal insulation performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3543449B1Energy saving sliding door assembly
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 SEU PLASTICS ONE MAN LLC
  • EP3543449B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3543449B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3543449B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to profiles for a movable frame of a sliding leaf and to sliding leafs. An object of the invention is a profile that minimizes heat transfer there through. A further object of the invention is a sliding leaf with such a profile, so as to minimize the heat transfer therethrough. The sliding leaf 10 has a movable frame comprising a profile 11 with a chamber 117 housing locking means 21, 23, 25 within the chamber 117, and a panel 15 supported on the movable frame by a holding member 12, 13, 14 connectable to the movable frame. The locking means 21, 23, 25 has locking elements 27 and operating means 25 to operate the locking elements 27. The operating means exits from the chamber 117 along a line that is parallel to the panel 15 and penetrates the holding member 12, 13, 14. The sliding leaf minimizes the energy losses and maximizes the view through the door, window or any other transparent separator.