Window Sealing Device Buckling Spring Delay Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sealing devices for movable wings, such as doors and windows, face issues with friction and air pressure differences due to premature contact of the sealing strip with the ground during closure and opening, leading to difficulty in operation and noise.

Innovation Solution

A sealing device utilizing a spiral spring with buckling mechanism to delay the downward movement of the sealing strip, reducing the number of components and enabling cost-effective, robust, and quieter operation by shifting the locking mechanism's blocking point through a predetermined displacement, allowing the sealing strip to move into position later than the initial driving displacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the sealing strip is lowered during the final part of the sash closing motion using a sliding release mechanism, then the sealing strip can seal the gap between the surface and the leaf, but the sealing strip touches the floor before the sash is fully closed, causing friction and obstruction during movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidsash closing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The release element is pre-positioned on the sash and the compression spring is pre-loaded during sash closure. The locking mechanism is initially locked and only released after the release element has been moved beyond a certain minimum distance, ensuring the sealing strip is lowered at the optimal moment rather than prematurely

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A toggle joint linkage serves as an intermediary between the release element and the sealing strip. This mechanical linkage translates the horizontal movement of the release element into vertical movement of the sealing strip, providing controlled delay and preventing direct contact between the sealing strip and floor during sash movement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a toggle joint linkage is used to translate the horizontal movement of the release element into vertical movement of the sealing strip, then the sealing strip can be lowered into the sealing position, but the locking mechanism requires complex components and generates noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing strip positioningVSAvoidlocking mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the locking mechanism from a multi-component toggle joint to a simple buckling spring system. The compression spring's buckling behavior provides the locking and release function through parameter changes in its structural state, eliminating the need for complex linkages and reducing noise

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the essential locking function from the complex toggle joint mechanism and implements it through a simplified compression spring system. By removing unnecessary intermediate components, the design achieves the same sealing strip positioning function with fewer parts and less noise

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Power

If the release element is displaced relative to the leaf by contact with the door frame, then the compression spring can be tensioned to move the sealing strip, but the mechanism requires multiple springs and complex coordination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing strip driving forceVSAvoidspring system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the driving force function and the locking mechanism function into a single compression spring system. The same spring that provides the driving force for sealing strip movement also serves as the locking mechanism through its buckling behavior, eliminating the need for separate springs and reducing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 reduces noise and improves operational ease by delaying the sealing strip's movement, ensuring it starts later than the initial driving displacement, thus minimizing friction and air pressure issues, while being more cost-effective and robust compared to previous designs.

Implementation Method 1

the release element is operatively connected to a drive side of a lockable transmission mechanism via an elastic transmission element, wherein the drive side of the lockable transmission mechanism can be used to drive a movement of the sealing strip into the sealing position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic potential energy: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the locking of the lockable translation mechanism can be released by movement of the release part beyond a predetermined minimum distance into the wing, wherein the locking is implemented by a bending spring which can be subjected to buckling by movement of the release part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuckling: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP3396099B1Sealing device
Publication Date: 2019.11.27 DEGELSEGGER WALTER
  • EP3396099B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3396099B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a sealing device for the edge region of a movable sash (1) of a door or window, comprising a sealing strip (2) movable relative to the sash for selectively sealing a gap between the sash (1) and another body, wherein movement of the sealing strip (2) from the open to the sealing position can be driven by a lockable transmission mechanism through movement of a release element (3) relative to the sash (1). The lock is formed by a bending spring (7, 11) which can be subjected to buckling by movement of the release element (3), wherein the lock remains upright as long as the bending spring (7, 11) is not buckled and wherein the lock is released when the bending spring (7, 11) is buckled.