Vertical Awning Housing with Segmented Support Tray

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vertical awning designs with integrated support troughs are complex, expensive to maintain, and unstable due to large, multi-part housings and undesirable metal surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A simplified housing structure with a two-part peripheral section design, where one section forms the support trough and the other covers the remaining area, allowing for easy assembly and aesthetically pleasing aesthetics, using plastic and metal materials for cost-effective production and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the support tray is molded onto the housing section to be integrated, then the housing structure is stable, but the housing component becomes large and replacement or inspection of the support tray becomes difficult and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing structure stabilityVSAvoidsupport tray replacement and inspection ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into two separate circumferential sections: a first section that forms the support tray and a second section that forms the housing body. This segmentation allows the support tray to be replaced independently without replacing the entire housing, while still maintaining structural stability through the connection elements provided in the second section.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the support tray is merely connected to or placed on top of the housing component, then replacement and inspection become easier, but the number of parts increases and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport tray replacement and inspection easeVSAvoidnumber of parts and assembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The first circumferential section forming the support tray is connected to the second circumferential section forming the housing body through integration elements such as molding-on, adhesive bonding, or mechanical connection elements. This merging approach reduces the number of separate parts compared to a fully assembled multi-component design while still allowing independent replacement of the support tray.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If metal material is used for the support tray, then structural strength is achieved, but the metal surface is undesirable for aesthetic reasons

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport tray structural strengthVSAvoidaesthetic appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The first circumferential section forming the support tray is made of plastic material instead of metal. This provides a desirable aesthetic appearance while still achieving sufficient structural strength through the plastic material properties and the reinforced connection to the metal second circumferential section.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Ease of manufacture

If the housing is made as a single large component, then manufacturing is simpler, but replacement or inspection of the support tray becomes difficult and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsupport tray replacement and inspection ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is manufactured as two separate circumferential sections that are subsequently connected. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity for each individual section while enabling easy replacement and inspection of the support tray by allowing independent access to the first section.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3486421B1Vertical awning
Publication Date: 2020.05.13 ERHARDT MARKISENBAU
  • EP3486421B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3486421B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3486421B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a vertical awning with an awning fabric (4) that can be extended downwards from a housing (1) via an extension slot (3), and which is in the form of a coil (5) and is mounted on a winding shaft (2) arranged in the housing (1) so as to be movable back and forth in the extension direction, wherein the housing (1) contains a support tray (17) associated with the coil (5), which consists at least in the area of ​​its inner surface of plastic, and has a two-part housing shell consisting of two adjoining circumferential sections, a simple construction with good accessibility of the support tray (17) is possible because the housing shell has a first circumferential section comprising only the area below the winding shaft (5), forming the support tray (17), and a second circumferential section (18) comprising the remaining circumferential area of ​​the housing shell, which includes the rear of the housing as well as an adjoining upper and front boundary of the housing.which ends next to the extension slot (3) with a gap bridged by the first circumferential section designed as a support tray (17) and is in support engagement with the end facing the first circumferential section designed as a support tray (17), which in the area of ​​its opposite end facing the extension slot (3) has a thickened cross-section forming a guide surface (22) for the awning fabric (4) running through the extension slot (3) and can thus be fixed to housing closure plates (12) that can be attached to the end faces of the second circumferential section (18).