Wooden Structural Element with Offset Grooves for Thermal Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wooden structural elements, such as those used in building facades and windows, face challenges in achieving high thermal and sound insulation while maintaining stability and being cost-effective, with previous solutions often compromising on either thermal insulation or stability, and requiring significant manual labor for assembly.
Innovation Solution
A longitudinal wooden slat profile with mutually offset grooves or slots, forming a hand organ-like structure, which creates a multitude of small closed air chambers when combined with a box structure, enhancing thermal and sound insulation by minimizing heat conduction and convection, and allowing for easy assembly with minimal manual effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If solid wood panels are used for thermal insulation, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but weight increases and material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solid wood panel is segmented into multiple thin slats with grooves cut through them, creating a multi-layer structure with air chambers between the slats. This segmentation reduces the overall weight and material usage while maintaining thermal insulation performance through the combination of wood and air layers.
2Weight of stationary object
If multi-layer structures with cavities are used to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates when cavities are open
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple slats with grooves are nested together to form a multi-layer structure where each slat contains grooves that create air chambers when assembled. The grooves in adjacent slats are offset so that they do not align, creating a nested pattern of air chambers that provides thermal insulation while keeping the structure lightweight.
3Loss of energy
If frame thickness is increased to improve thermal insulation, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but the external appearance limits are exceeded and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the overall frame thickness, the frame is segmented into multiple thin slats with grooves that create internal air chambers. This segmentation allows thermal insulation to be improved through the multi-layer structure with air gaps rather than by simply thickening the frame, thus maintaining a sleek external appearance while reducing complexity compared to solid thick frames.
4Manufacturing precision
If manual assembly is used for traditional wooden structures, then assembly precision can be maintained, but productivity decreases and loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves in the slats are pre-cut during manufacturing to specific positions and orientations, so that when the slats are assembled, the grooves automatically align to form the air chamber pattern. This preliminary action of pre-cutting the grooves ensures assembly precision is maintained while allowing for faster assembly compared to traditional methods requiring precise manual positioning.
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 high thermal and sound insulation performance comparable to multiple glazing, with improved stability and reduced material usage, while being lightweight and inexpensive to produce, ensuring long-term effectiveness and ease of assembly.
Implementation Method 1
enhancing thermal and sound insulation by minimizing heat conduction and convection
Implementation Method 2
minimizing heat conduction and convection
Implementation Method 3
air circulation occurs in the plurality of closed, small air chambers prevented
Implementation Method 4
enhancing thermal and sound insulation
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
Figure 3a~4c
Figure 5a~5h
AI summary
The invention relates to a wooden structural element comprising at least one lamellar element. The construction elements of the invention are particularly suitable for use in the area of windows, doors, building facades, and/or roofs and/or false ceilings. The individual structural element is designed for a box-type construction concept and is produced as a stable wood frame structure. One or more lamellar elements including a plurality of accordeon-type lamellae or corresponding longitudinal slots that are formed in a milling process are inserted into the structural element so as to form an equivalent number of closed chambers in the thermally insulating direction. The lamellar element is suitable for integration into the box of the wooden structural element as a thermal insulation element.