Slotted Channel With Inward Bends For Drainage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing slotted channels face issues with liquid seepage in damp or wet rooms, leading to potential damage and construction complexities, particularly due to protruding connecting webs and flanges that can distort and hinder easy installation and cleaning.

Innovation Solution

A slotted channel design featuring a beveled channel profile with inwardly directed longitudinal walls forming receiving legs and passage openings in the channel cover, allowing seepage liquid to drain into the channel body, eliminating the need for protruding webs and flanges, and enabling easy adjustment and cleaning by incorporating detachable longitudinal webs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If protruding connecting webs and flanges are used to support the channel body and form receiving legs, then the channel provides adequate support and connection for floor covering, but liquid can seep in between the floor covering and slotted channel along the connecting webs and get into the floor structure, causing damage over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing capacityVSAvoidliquid damage
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the protruding connecting webs and flanges from the design, replacing them with an inverted U-shaped channel body where the longitudinal walls themselves form the receiving legs. This eliminates the gaps between protruding elements where liquid could seep in, while maintaining structural support through the integrated design of the channel body and receiving legs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having protruding elements extending outward from the channel body, the invention inverts the approach by having the longitudinal walls bend inward to form receiving legs. This inversion creates a continuous surface without gaps, preventing liquid infiltration while still providing the necessary support and connection points for floor covering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Strength

If angle profiles with protruding legs are glued to the channel body to form slot walls, then the channel provides structural support, but the construction complexity increases and the load-bearing capacity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing capacityVSAvoidconstruction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the channel body and slot walls into a single integrated structure. The longitudinal walls of the channel body are bent inward to directly form the slot walls, eliminating the need for separate angle profiles and their associated mounting operations. This reduces construction complexity while maintaining or enhancing load-bearing capacity through the integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If connecting flanges are welded to the longitudinal walls to form receiving legs, then the channel body is supported on the screed, but the welding heat causes distortion and makes it difficult to move the drainage channel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport capabilityVSAvoidease of movement
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the channel body into modular sections that can be assembled without welding. The receiving legs are formed by bending the longitudinal walls inward, creating separate functional elements that can be joined mechanically or through simple connection methods, eliminating welding-induced distortion and facilitating easier movement and assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If the channel body is covered with angle profiles and paving stones are laid up to the slot walls, then liquid drainage is provided, but the clear width is limited by safety standards, causing cleaning difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrainage functionVSAvoidcleaning accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention makes the slot walls detachable or movable, allowing them to be removed or shifted to provide wide access for cleaning operations. The slot walls can be reattached after cleaning, maintaining the drainage function while enabling periodic maintenance and cleaning of the channel body, thus balancing reliability with ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2617907B1Slotted channel
Publication Date: 2017.12.20 ASCHL ROMAN
  • EP2617907B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2617907B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2617907B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The gutter has a gutter body (1) extending with respect to a slot-like gutter aperture (5) and exhibiting a triangular cross-section. Slotted walls (4) laterally limit the gutter aperture, and supporting flanges (7) support a floor cover and form a ceiling (2) of the gutter body. The slotted walls project from the supporting flanges, and passage apertures (10) for seeping liquid are formed in an edge area of the ceiling of the gutter body. The slotted walls are spaced from each other by a spacer (6), and bow-shaped mounting plates (11) are arranged on two sides of the gutter body.