Timber Connection System with Angled Contact Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Timber construction faces challenges with increased air convection, thermal decoupling, and the exchangeability of cantilever components, particularly in high thermal requirement buildings like passive houses, due to the poor thermal conductivity of wood and the formation of local thermal bridges and air leaks at joints.
Innovation Solution
A connection system featuring a detachable coupling element with angled contact surfaces that allows for ideal force transmission and includes an airtight and insulation layer integration, enabling efficient thermal and acoustic insulation, and facilitating the assembly and replacement of cantilever components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a continuous airtight layer is formed to prevent air convection, then moisture protection is improved, but the complexity of sealing and gluing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airtight layer is segmented into discrete airtight elements that can be independently positioned at joint locations, rather than requiring continuous sealing. These elements are inserted into recesses in the coupling element, creating localized airtight barriers at critical joints without requiring extensive sealing work across the entire connection area.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element acts as an intermediary component that integrates multiple functions: mechanical connection, airtight sealing, and insulation. By incorporating recesses for airtight elements and insulation layers within the coupling element itself, the patent eliminates the need for separate sealing and insulation components, reducing overall system complexity.
2Loss of energy
If cantilever components are sealed according to regulations, then thermal insulation is improved, but weather exposure during construction and assembly causes damage
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element is designed with integrated insulation layers and airtight recesses that are prepared in advance during manufacturing. This allows the cantilever components to be pre-assembled with thermal protection already in place, enabling them to be weather-exposed during construction without requiring continuous sealing, thus preventing weather damage while maintaining thermal insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element combines different materials with complementary properties: structural wood or metal for mechanical strength, insulation materials for thermal protection, and airtight elements for sealing. This composite construction allows the component to withstand weather exposure during assembly while providing continuous thermal insulation, eliminating the trade-off between sealing and weather resistance.
3Reliability
If cantilever components are replaced after damage, then structural integrity is maintained, but replacement effort increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into modular components: the coupling element, the cantilever component, and the building element. Each can be independently replaced without affecting the others. If damage occurs, only the affected module needs replacement, not the entire structure, significantly reducing repair effort while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is designed with detachable coupling elements that can be easily assembled and disassembled. This dynamic connection allows for quick replacement of damaged components without requiring complex dismantling or specialized tools, making the system adaptable to repair needs while maintaining structural reliability.
4Ease of manufacture
If wooden building elements are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but thermal conductivity is poor causing local thermal bridges
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system uses composite construction combining wooden building elements with integrated insulation layers and airtight elements in the coupling element. This allows the ease of manufacture of wood to be maintained while adding thermal insulation properties to compensate for wood's poor thermal conductivity, eliminating local thermal bridges at the connection point.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the entire wooden structure to have enhanced insulation, the patent applies insulation and airtight measures locally at the connection points where thermal bridges occur. The coupling element incorporates insulation layers and airtight recesses specifically at the joint locations, providing targeted thermal protection where it is most needed without affecting the overall ease of manufacture of the wooden elements.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Connection system (1) for connecting a timber component (3) to a building component (5), comprising a first retaining section (13) for the building component (5), a second retaining section (14) for the timber component (3), a coupling element (15) which detachably connects the first retaining section (13) and the second retaining section (14), wherein the second retaining section (14) (i) has a timber component-side fitting (20) with a first contact surface (30) for attachment to a first surface of the timber component (3) and (ii) a second contact surface (31) for a second surface of the timber component (3), wherein the first contact surface (30) of the timber component-side fitting (20) and the second contact surface (31) of the second retaining section (14) enclose an angle (α) other than 180° with each other.