Rear-Ventilated Cladding Frames With Labyrinth Splash Guard
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear-ventilated cladding systems face challenges with fluid penetration during rain and cleaning, dimensional alignment issues, and inadequate protection against corrosion and ventilation inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a labyrinth seal splash guard in the upper frame leg profile and optionally the bottom frame leg profile to prevent fluid penetration, combined with a vapor-permeable substructure and insect screens to enhance protection and ventilation, ensuring proper rear ventilation and vapor diffusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ventilation openings are provided in the frame leg profiles for rear ventilation, then ventilation efficiency is improved, but fluid penetration (driving rain, cleaning water) into the rear-ventilation area increases
Solution Approach 1:
A splash guard is introduced as an intermediary element between the ventilation openings and the rear-ventilation area. The splash guard allows air to pass through while blocking fluid penetration, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of ventilation and fluid protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The splash guard extends in the longitudinal direction of the frame leg profile, creating a three-dimensional barrier structure. This additional dimensional element allows air flow in one direction while blocking fluid approach from another direction.
2Ease of manufacture
If punctiform fixing is used to attach cladding elements to the supporting framework, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but alignment precision deteriorates due to cumulative dimensional deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The cladding element is divided into a cladding plate and a separate frame structure. The frame acts as an intermediate segment that absorbs dimensional deviations, allowing the cladding plate to be precisely positioned while maintaining simple punctiform fixing to the supporting framework.
3Manufacturing precision
If a frame structure is used for each cladding element to improve attachment precision, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure is merged with the cladding element to form an integrated unit. The frame serves multiple functions: it provides precise positioning, incorporates the splash guard for fluid protection, and maintains simple attachment to the supporting framework, thus reducing overall system complexity.
4Strength
If the supporting framework is made of metal for structural strength, then strength is improved, but corrosion protection becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting framework uses composite construction with metal structural elements combined with plastic insulating elements. The plastic components provide corrosion protection and thermal insulation, while the metal elements provide structural strength, thus combining the benefits of both materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents fluid penetration into the rear-ventilation area, reduces follow-up work, and enhances fire protection by ensuring each cladding element is individually ventilated and gas-decoupled, while maintaining vapor permeability and preventing insect nesting.
Implementation Method 1
a splash guard which is in the manner of a labyrinth seal, adjoins the frame leg profile below the ventilation openings, covers the ventilation openings
Implementation Method 2
The invention is especially suitable for creating structural designs which are open to the diffusion of vapor
Implementation Method 3
the rear ventilation will prevent overheating of the modules, in particular of especially sensitive photovoltaic cells
Data Source
AI summary
A structural design is proposed, comprising rear-ventilated cladding elements (1), in particular plates or boards, which can be hung in front of a supporting framework (2), in particular consisting of vertical support elements and horizontal bearing elements, wherein the cladding elements are each assigned a frame (3) which spans a rear-ventilation cross-section (4) and the upper and lower frame leg profiles (5, 6) of which have ventilation openings (8) leading to the front (7) of the cladding. In order to provide advantageous rear-ventilation conditions it is proposed that at least the upper frame leg profile interior (12) is assigned a splash guard (13) which is arranged in the manner of a labyrinth seal, adjoins the frame leg profile below the ventilation openings (8), covers the ventilation openings (8) and preferably faces with the free end thereof towards the front (7) of the cladding.