Universal Barrier Seal for Upper and Lower Edge Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Movable barriers require different seals for their upper and lower edges due to the varying surfaces they contact, leading to increased manufacturing, servicing, and inventory costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A flexible seal that can be affixed to both the lower and upper edges of a movable barrier, utilizing protrusions that fit into corresponding grooves, allowing it to adapt its orientation and form a seal with different surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If different seals are used for upper and lower edges of the movable barrier, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity and inventory costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single seal component that can function in multiple positions (upper edge and lower edge) of the movable barrier. The seal is engineered with asymmetric features including a first protrusion, second protrusion, and third protrusion that can be received in corresponding grooves at different locations, allowing one component to replace multiple specialized seals while maintaining sealing effectiveness at both upper and lower edges.
2Reliability
If different seals are used for upper and lower edges of the movable barrier, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing and servicing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal design enables manufacturers to produce a single standardized component rather than multiple different seals, reducing tooling costs, simplifying production processes, and lowering overall manufacturing expenses while maintaining the required sealing performance at both upper and lower barrier edges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of separate upper and lower seals into a single integrated component. By combining multiple sealing functions into one part, the design reduces the total number of components that need to be manufactured, stored, and managed, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
3Reliability
If different seals are used for upper and lower edges of the movable barrier, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the inventory management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The universal seal design reduces inventory variety by replacing multiple specialized seal components with a single multi-functional part. This simplifies inventory management, reduces storage requirements, and eliminates the need to track and manage different types of seals for different barrier edges, while still providing effective sealing at all required locations.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible seal may be attachable to a moveable barrier and usable to seal selectively along a horizontal lower surface adjacent the moveable barrier and along a vertical upper surface adjacent the moveable barrier. The flexible seal may assume a first orientation to be affixed to a lower edge of the movable barrier and may assume a second orientation to be affixed to an upper edge of the movable barrier. In the first orientation, a central region of the flexible seal contacts the horizonal lower surface. In the second orientation, a first or second end of the flexible seal contacts the vertical upper surface.