Adhesive Flooring for Freight Trailers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current floorings for freight transport vehicles or trailers, made of wood-based materials fixed with screws, are labor-intensive to install, prone to water leakage, and susceptible to corrosion, which weakens the frame structures and affects the flooring's stability.
Innovation Solution
The flooring is fixed to the frame using adhesive instead of screws, with screws only in critical locations, and consists of plate elements bonded to the frame beams and intermediate beams via adhesive joints, utilizing a primer and single- or two-component polyurethane adhesive for enhanced bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If plate elements are fixed to frame beams using screws, then the flooring can be securely attached to the frame, but the installation becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming due to the large number of screws required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical screw fixation system with an adhesive bonding system. The adhesive is applied to the frame beams and plate elements, creating a chemical bond that eliminates the need for drilling holes and inserting screws. This substitution dramatically reduces installation time and labor while maintaining structural strength, as the adhesive can bond entire surface areas rather than relying on discrete mechanical fasteners.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the fixation function into the adhesive material itself, which simultaneously provides bonding, sealing, and protective functions. Rather than using separate components (screws, washers, sealants), the adhesive consolidates multiple functions into a single material application, simplifying the installation process and improving productivity.
2Ease of manufacture
If screws are used to fix plate elements to frame beams, then the flooring can be attached, but water leaks through the screw holes causing corrosion of frame beams and screws
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the screw holes from the fixation system. By removing the mechanical fastening method that creates holes through the plate elements and frame beams, the source of water infiltration is eliminated. The adhesive bonding method maintains structural integrity without creating penetration points for water to cause corrosion.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive acts as an intermediary material that bonds the plate elements to the frame beams without requiring direct mechanical contact through holes. This intermediary substance creates a continuous bonding layer that seals the interface between components, preventing water from reaching the frame beams and causing corrosion while still providing the necessary fixation strength.
3Strength
If multiple screws are used for fixing plate elements, then adequate fixation is achieved, but the weight of the vehicle increases due to additional fixing materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy metal screw fasteners with a lighter adhesive material. The adhesive, typically polymer-based, has significantly lower density than metal screws. By eliminating the need for numerous screws and their associated hardware (washers, nuts, etc.), the overall weight of the flooring assembly is reduced while maintaining equivalent or superior bonding strength through surface-area-based adhesion.
4Ease of operation
If screws are used to fix plate elements, then the flooring can be assembled, but the process requires drilling holes through frame beams which complicates manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical fastening system requiring hole drilling, screw insertion, and tightening with a simple adhesive application process. The adhesive is applied directly to the bonding surfaces and allows the plate elements to be positioned and bonded without creating holes or assembling multiple mechanical components, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
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
This solution results in a stronger, leak-proof flooring with reduced corrosion risks, faster installation, lower material needs, and reduced weight, leading to lower manufacturing costs and improved economic efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the flooring is fixed to the frame of the freight transport vehicle or trailer by means of adhesive instead of screws or other separate fixing means requiring the formation of holes
Implementation Method 2
Before bonding the flooring according to the invention, a primer might be applied onto the surfaces to be bonded
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a flooring (3; 19) for a freight transport vehicle or trailer, which flooring (3; 19) is fixed to the frame (1) of the freight transport vehicle or trailer. In the flooring according to invention, the flooring (3; 19) or its parts (2a, 2b; 18a-18c) has been made of plywood board with a phenol resin coating and at least part of the flooring (3; 19) has been fastened to the frame (1) by means of adhesive. The invention relates also to a method for for forming a flooring (3; 19) for a freight transport vehicle or trailer.