Stepped Faceplate for Window Grooves

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing faceplates for window and door wing grooves are undersized for larger doors, leading to visual gaps, contamination risks, and stability issues, with wider options complicating assembly and increasing production costs.

Innovation Solution

A faceplate with a stepped cross-section, featuring a wider front section that protrudes laterally beyond a standard rear section, allowing for automatic centering and gap-free installation in standard 16 mm or 20 mm grooves, while maintaining stability and compatibility with standard locking parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a standard 16 mm wide faceplate is used in a 16 mm groove, then simple assembly is achieved, but visual gaps appear and contamination risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidcontamination risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The faceplate is segmented into two distinct width zones: a narrower rear section (16 mm) that fits into the groove for simple assembly, and a wider front section that protrudes laterally to cover the groove opening completely, eliminating visual gaps and contamination risks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the faceplate have different widths tailored to specific functional requirements: the rear section has standard width for insertion, while the front section has increased width for aesthetic coverage and protection, creating local quality variations that solve multiple problems simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If a wider faceplate (20-24 mm) is used for doors, then visual appeal and stability improve, but assembly complexity increases and production costs rise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefaceplate stabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The faceplate combines a narrow rear section for simple groove insertion with a wide front section for aesthetic coverage, achieving the visual appeal and stability of a wide faceplate while maintaining the assembly simplicity of a narrow faceplate

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stepped faceplate design serves multiple functions: the rear narrow section enables simple assembly in standard grooves, while the front wide section provides aesthetic coverage and structural stability, making a single component suitable for both functionality and appearance requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a wider faceplate is placed on the sash from the outside, then visual gaps are eliminated, but automatic centering is lost and assembly becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual gapsVSAvoidassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The faceplate is segmented with a narrow rear section that fits into the groove for automatic centering during insertion, and a wide front section that protrudes to provide aesthetic coverage, combining the benefits of both narrow and wide faceplates

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The narrow rear section is designed to fit into the groove first, establishing automatic centering and proper positioning before the wide front section is presented to the exterior, ensuring correct alignment without requiring additional centering operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2133498B1Cuff bar and window or door with same
Publication Date: 2013.12.04 MACO TECHNOLOGIE GMBH
  • EP2133498B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP2133498B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7
  • EP2133498B1 patent drawingFigure 8

AI summary

The cover rail has a front sided section and a rear sided section. The front sided section protrudes laterally over the rear sided section at both longitudinal sides of the cover rail. The width of the rear sided section of the cover rail is, particularly smaller than the width of an aerofoil groove (6) in an area of an aerofoil surface.