Wall Niche Mold Integration for Masonry Construction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The laborious and time-consuming process of creating a masonry solid wall with a wall niche, where ensuring straight and accurate inner surfaces is challenging, leading to additional work in plastering and tiling, and inaccuracies in bricklaying or concreting complicate the process.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a cavity mold with a recess shaped body, where the niche molding is positioned first, and the surrounding wall is built around it, allowing for precise alignment and integration of the niche into the wall, simplifying the creation of a qualitatively clean wall niche by isolating the niche's inner surfaces from irregularities in the bricklaying or concreting process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If wall niche is created by leaving out bricks during wall construction, then wall niche is formed, but the process is extremely laborious and time-consuming, and accuracy of inner surfaces is difficult to ensure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of creating wall nicheVSAvoidaccuracy of inner surfaces
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies preliminary action by pre-fabricating the wall niche insert as a ready-made component with precisely formed inner surfaces before wall construction. The insert includes a rear wall and side walls that define the niche interior, allowing accurate dimensions to be achieved during manufacturing rather than during the complex process of bricklaying the niche in situ.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a mold to create a precise copy or replica of the desired wall niche geometry. The mold defines the exact shape and dimensions of the niche interior, and this geometry is replicated in the concrete or masonry material that forms the insert, ensuring high manufacturing precision without requiring complex manual bricklaying work.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Ease of manufacture

If wall niche is created by bricklaying the recess, then wall niche is formed, but additional work is required during plastering to align edges precisely

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of creating wall nicheVSAvoidcomplexity of subsequent plastering work
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insert is prepared in advance with its outer surfaces and edges precisely formed to match the required final dimensions. This preliminary preparation includes forming the outer surfaces that will be visible after plastering, so that when the insert is installed, the plasterer can simply apply plaster over the already-aligned edges without needing to perform complex alignment work.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges multiple functions into the single wall niche insert component: it provides the structural framework for the niche, defines the precise geometry of the interior space, and presents ready-to-plaster outer surfaces. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate alignment and adjustment steps that would otherwise be required during plastering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If wall niche is created by leaving out bricks, then wall niche is formed, but tiling of inner walls is made more difficult by inaccuracies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of creating wall nicheVSAvoidaccuracy for subsequent tiling
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mold used to create the insert pre-defines the exact geometry of the niche interior surfaces that will receive the tiling. By forming these surfaces with precise dimensions and flatness during insert manufacturing, the insert provides an accurate substrate for tiling, eliminating the dimensional inaccuracies and surface irregularities that would result from manual bricklaying of the niche recess.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Manufacturing precision

If drywall panel is used with wall niche insert, then precise fit is achieved, but stud frame must be cut out according to size of back wall

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of insert fitVSAvoidcomplexity of drywall installation
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insert is designed as an integrated assembly where the rear wall and side walls are connected as a single unit. This merging of components into one piece eliminates the need for separate framing work and allows the entire niche structure to be installed as a single element, simplifying the drywall installation process while maintaining precise fit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4209645A1Production of a wall with a wall niche
Publication Date: 2023.07.12 SCHWARZMEIER ROBERT
  • EP4209645A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4209645A1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP4209645A1 patent drawingFigure 7A~7C

AI summary

The method for producing a wall (13) with a wall niche (15) comprises providing a niche form (1). The niche form (1) includes a back wall (3) and a side wall (5) extending from the back wall (3) in an opening direction (11) of the niche form (1). The back wall (3) and the side wall (5) define a niche interior (7) which is accessible through an access opening (9) of the niche form (1). The niche form (1) is positioned in an installation position. The wall (13) is constructed of masonry or concrete, wherein at least one area of ​​the wall (13) lying above the niche form (1) is created only after the niche form (1) has been positioned in the installation position, and the niche form (1) is thereby integrated into the wall (13) in the installation position.