Adjustable Anchor Rod for Underdrain Elevation and Rotation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing U-shaped anchor rods for underdrain systems in water and wastewater treatment filters are inflexible, requiring level installation and not allowing for rotation or adjustment, which complicates installation and does not accommodate variations in floor elevation, leading to potential uplift forces and inefficient hold-down strength.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable anchor rod arrangement featuring a pair of spaced apart legs and an elongated member that can be adjusted along their longitudinal axes, allowing for customizable installation and rotation, ensuring correct elevation and secure attachment to underdrain blocks through adjustable fasteners and materials like stainless steel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed U-shaped anchor rod is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot accommodate variations in floor elevation and requires level installation
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor rod is divided into multiple segments: a U-shaped base portion with legs for embedment in the filter floor, and an adjustable vertical portion that can be positioned at different heights. This segmentation allows the anchor rod to adapt to varying floor elevations while maintaining a simple manufactured base component.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor rod incorporates adjustable elements that allow the vertical portion to be positioned at different heights relative to the U-shaped base. This dynamic adjustability enables the anchor rod to accommodate floor elevation variations without requiring custom manufacturing for each installation scenario.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vertical legs are made extra long to accommodate variable elevations, then adaptability improves, but the legs may need to be cut or holes made deeper in the filter floor
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the anchor rod into a fixed U-shaped base and an adjustable vertical portion, the design allows the vertical portion to be precisely positioned at the required height without requiring the legs to be excessively long. This eliminates the need for cutting legs or creating deeper holes in the filter floor.
Solution Approach 2:
The design changes the parameter of leg length from a fixed value to an adjustable range. The vertical portion can be positioned at different heights within a specified range, allowing adaptation to various elevation requirements without modifying the filter floor structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If a one-piece U-shaped anchor rod is used, then manufacturing is simple, but rotation of the legs during adhesive installation is not allowed
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor rod is segmented into a U-shaped base portion and a separate vertical portion. This segmentation allows the vertical portion to be rotated independently during adhesive installation while the U-shaped base remains fixed in the filter floor, combining manufacturing simplicity with installation flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable connection between the U-shaped base and vertical portion provides rotational freedom during installation. The vertical portion can be rotated to the correct orientation after the adhesive is applied, enabling proper installation as recommended by adhesive manufacturers while maintaining a simple overall structure.
4Strength
If the horizontal bar is positioned above the lugs in grout, then hold-down strength against uplift forces is maximized, but the anchor rod cannot be adjusted to correct elevation
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable vertical portion allows the horizontal bar to be positioned at the optimal height above the lugs in the grout to maximize hold-down strength. The adjustability ensures that this optimal positioning can be achieved regardless of variations in filter floor elevation, maintaining both strength and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable anchor rod arrangement for use with an underdrain system that includes the a pair of spaced apart legs and an elongated member adjustably attached to the legs, wherein the legs are adjustable along a longitudinal axis of the elongated member and the elongated member is adjustable along a longitudinal axis of the legs.