Sliding Window Lower Cross-Member Pumping Drainage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for ensuring watertightness in sliding windows and patio doors, such as brushes and inflatable frame seals, fall short in achieving optimal sealing performance, particularly in severe weather conditions, and often complicate installation or increase operational forces, while existing drainage systems fail to effectively evacuate water from the lower crosspiece rail.
Innovation Solution
A lower crosspiece with an integrated electric pumping system and drainage rabbet that accumulates liquid and detects its height, activating the pump for evacuation, combined with a deflector and sealing mechanism to manage external air pressure, ensuring efficient water removal and enhanced sealing performance without increasing operational forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If brushes or sliding seals are used for watertightness, then sealing performance is improved, but operating forces increase and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from mechanical contact elements (brushes, seals) and relocates it to a drainage system that actively removes water from the rail. The sealing is achieved by evacuating water rather than blocking it mechanically, thereby eliminating the need for high operating forces while maintaining watertightness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sealing system (brushes and seals that require contact and generate friction) with an active drainage system using a pump and evacuation channel. This substitution eliminates mechanical friction and operating forces while achieving superior watertightness through water removal.
2Reliability
If inflatable frame seals with air pump system are used, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the water accumulation problem from the sealing system and addresses it separately through a dedicated drainage system. Instead of making the sealing system complex (inflatable seals), the invention creates a separate water evacuation system that works with simple sealing elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the watertightness function into two independent subsystems: a simple sealing system and an active drainage system. This segmentation allows each subsystem to be optimized independently, resulting in simpler installation while maintaining high sealing performance.
3Reliability
If electric pumping system with two different cavities is used, then watertightness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pump housing with the lower crosspiece structure, integrating the pumping system into the existing frame rather than adding separate cavities. This integration reduces device complexity while maintaining the water evacuation function and improving watertightness.
4Reliability
If rail height is increased to improve water evacuation, then water pressure on valve is improved, but accessibility is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the passive gravitational drainage system (which requires high rail height to create sufficient water pressure) with an active electric pumping system. This substitution allows effective water evacuation at any rail height, maintaining accessibility while improving water removal capability.
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 achieves superior sealing performance, exceeding 900 Pa, while maintaining accessibility and simplicity of design, effectively evacuating water from the drainage rail without complicating installation or increasing operational efforts, thus addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid pump, electric and submersible, resting on said base, and comprising a liquid exhalation channel communicating with means for discharging liquid from said lower crosspiece
Implementation Method 2
a detection module configured to detect a height of liquid between said two lateral wings, so that the liquid pump is activated/deactivated when said liquid height is higher/lower than a predetermined value
Implementation Method 3
said deflector is positioned in abutment against at least a part of the inner surface of said evacuation cavity so that: said valve closes said through opening under an external air pressure greater than a predetermined value, when the through opening is closed by said valve, said valve releases said through opening under a liquid pressure greater than the external air pressure
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention concerns a lower cross-member (100) for the construction of a stationary frame of a sliding window or door/window, said lower cross-member (100) comprising a profile having a drainage rebate on which a liquid can accumulate and intended to engage with at least one sliding opening frame of said sliding window or door/window. In addition, said lower cross-member (100) comprises an electric pumping system configured to remove a liquid accumulated on said drainage rebate from the stationary frame.