Segmented Wood Building Element With Transverse Grooves

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing building elements made from solid wood require high-quality materials, which are scarce, expensive, and limit design freedom, while also consuming excessive resources and increasing production costs.

Innovation Solution

A building element with a core layer composed of multiple layers, each with transverse grooves and cross-connection elements, allowing for connection without additional materials like glue or metal connectors, using inexpensive wood like plywood or softwood, and enabling modular adaptation for varying requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high-quality solid wood is used for building elements, then structural stability and load-bearing capacity are improved, but material cost and resource consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmaterial cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The building element is divided into multiple layers with different material qualities. The core layer uses inexpensive softwood or plywood, while only the surface layers (skin layers) use high-quality solid wood. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve sufficient stability without requiring expensive material throughout the entire volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the building element are assigned different material qualities based on their functional requirements. The outer skin layers require high-quality solid wood for durability and aesthetics, while the inner core layers can use lower-quality softwood for structural bulk, optimizing both performance and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If high-quality solid wood is used for building elements, then mechanical strength is improved, but availability of material decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidmaterial availability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The building element is divided into multiple layers with different material qualities. The core layer uses inexpensive softwood or plywood, while only the surface layers (skin layers) use high-quality solid wood. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve sufficient stability without requiring expensive material throughout the entire volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If additional connection means such as glue or metal fasteners are used, then structural stability is improved, but environmental compatibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidenvironmental compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The building element uses self-service connection through transverse grooves and corresponding protrusions that automatically engage with each other during assembly. This mechanical interlocking system eliminates the need for additional connection means such as glue or metal fasteners, maintaining environmental compatibility while ensuring structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If fixed wall thickness based on solid wood stave diameter is used, then structural integrity is maintained, but design flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoiddesign flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The building element system allows dynamic adjustment of wall thickness by varying the number of layers in the core layer. This enables the structure to be adapted to different structural requirements and design preferences without compromising integrity, as layers can be added or removed based on specific application needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3569781B1Building element for the construction of buildings
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 STROHECKER GUIDO ROMANUS
  • EP3569781B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3569781B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3569781B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Building element (1) with a core layer (2) having at least two core layer layers (3), each of which extends substantially over an element length (L), wherein each core layer layer (3) has an inner surface (4) and an outer surface (5) opposite the inner surface (4), wherein the inner surfaces (4) and the outer surfaces (5) each have at least one transverse groove (6), and the transverse grooves (6) extend substantially in a transverse direction (Q) normal to the element length (L) along the building element (1), wherein the building element (1) has at least one transverse connecting element (7) arranged in the transverse groove (6) of an inner surface (4) and the transverse groove (6) of an outer surface (5) adjacent to this inner surface (4).