Building Sheath Element Weighted Foil Release Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building enveloping systems with ETFE film elements face inefficiencies in smoke and fume release during fires due to high maintenance costs and mechanical failures, particularly when ETFE loses tensile properties at elevated temperatures, and natural ventilation methods are costly and difficult to weatherproof.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a weight body attached to the film element to enhance the release mechanism's efficiency by utilizing gravity, with the weight secured to the support element to ensure controlled release of the film from the support frame, allowing smoke and fumes to escape effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a mechanical extraction system is used to remove smoke and flue gas, then smoke removal capability is improved, but cost and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful function of mechanical extraction systems by using a simple cutting device that severs the connection between the foil element and support element, allowing smoke to escape naturally without complex machinery. The foil element itself becomes the extraction pathway when cut.
Solution Approach 2:
The foil element is designed as a temporary, disposable component that can be easily cut and removed. Rather than maintaining expensive mechanical extraction systems, the patent uses a simple cutting mechanism that destroys the foil's containment function temporarily to enable smoke evacuation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If natural extraction through opening frames is used, then smoke removal capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the smoke removal function from complex opening frames by using the existing foil element and support element structure. A simple cutting device severs the connection, allowing natural convection to handle smoke removal without requiring separate opening frame mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The foil element is designed to be discarded (cut and removed) when smoke extraction is needed. The simple cutting device permanently severs the foil-support element connection, sacrificing the foil's containment function to enable smoke evacuation, eliminating the need for complex reusable opening mechanisms.
3Productivity
If weights are attached to the foil element to assist release, then release efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies counterweight principle by attaching weights to the foil element that assist gravitational release. When the cutting device severs the connection, the weights provide additional gravitational force to ensure the foil element detaches completely and efficiently from the support element, improving release reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The weights are pre-attached to the foil element during manufacturing, preparing the system in advance for efficient release. When the cutting device activates, the pre-positioned weights immediately begin assisting the release process through gravity, eliminating the need for complex active release mechanisms.
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 enhanced release mechanism improves the efficiency of smoke and fume evacuation during fires by leveraging gravity, reducing maintenance needs and ensuring reliable operation while maintaining structural integrity and aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
at least one weight is attached to the foil element, which is intended to assist the release of the foil element from the support element by the release device
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a
Figure 3b~4
AI summary
A description is given of a building-sheath element having a sheet-material element (21) with at least one sheet-material layer (26, 27, 28), having a supporting element (22), on which the sheet-material element (21) is fastened, and having a release device, which is designed to release the sheet-material element (21) from the supporting element (22) when required. The special feature of the invention resides in the fact that at least one weighting body (36) is fastened on the sheet-material element (21), said weighting body being provided to assist in the release of the sheet-material element (21) from the supporting element (22) by means of the release device.