Translucent Building Block with Retainer Structure for Cast Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating translucent building blocks are labor-intensive, costly, and struggle with positioning and fixing translucent members, limiting their size and complexity, and often require expensive materials and precise placement, which hinders their widespread adoption in architectural designs.
Innovation Solution
A translucent building block design featuring relatively rigid translucent members arranged within a retainer structure, with openings for cast material flow and reinforcement, allowing for easy production in arbitrary sizes and configurations, eliminating the need for expensive indirect materials and enabling precise positioning of translucent elements within the block.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If glass fibres are arranged in a binding matrix to improve handling and strength properties, then mechanical strength is improved, but production becomes extremely labour-intensive and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of the translucent material from discrete glass fibres to a viscous translucent liquid that can be poured and self-level. This parameter change from solid fibres to liquid state eliminates the need for labour-intensive fibre arrangement while maintaining strength through the liquid's ability to fill and bond with the binding matrix during casting
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical arrangement of glass fibres by hand with a fluid pouring and casting system. The translucent liquid is poured into the formwork and allowed to settle naturally, substituting manual mechanical placement with a automated fluid-based process that significantly reduces labour intensity
2Illumination intensity
If translucent members are embedded in building elements to provide natural illumination, then aesthetic and functional properties are improved, but positioning and fixing of members becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary action by preparing the translucent material in liquid form before casting. The viscous translucent liquid is ready-poured and contains embedded positioning elements or patterns that automatically align during the pouring process, eliminating the need for complex post-positioning and fixing operations after the building element is constructed
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses the viscous liquid state as an intermediary medium that facilitates easy positioning. The liquid nature allows the translucent material to flow into predetermined positions and conform to the formwork geometry, acting as a mediator between the manufacturing process and the final positioned structure, thereby simplifying the overall positioning and fixing complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If discrete translucent members are used in building structures, then design flexibility is improved, but correct fitting at predetermined locations during construction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the translucent material into a pourable liquid form that can be easily divided and distributed throughout the building element. This segmentation into liquid portions allows the material to be poured into complex predetermined patterns and locations during construction, maintaining design flexibility while dramatically improving ease of fitting compared to assembling discrete solid members
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies dynamics by using the transient liquid state of the translucent material during construction. The material transitions from a static solid form to a dynamic liquid state that can flow and adapt to predetermined locations, then solidifies in the final position. This dynamic state change enables easy fitting during construction while maintaining design flexibility
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 2a
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a translucent building block (1) having at least two, a first and a second bounding surfaces (2, 3), between which there is at least a part of a translucent member (4) and cast material surrounding said member (4) connected to an retainer structure (5), whereas the latter is arranged between said surfaces (2, 3). The invention also relates to a an insert (8) for producing a translucent building block (1) having an retainer structure (5) and at least one translucent member (4) arranged on said auxiliary retainer (5), and the translucent member (4) has at least one section (9, 10) projecting from said retainer structure (5), and said insert is provided with an opening formed on said retainer structure (5) and/or with a fixing member (19, 20, 21). The invention also discloses a method for producing a translucent building block (1).