Artificial Stone Wall Block with Angular Interlocking Joints
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wall blocks made of artificial stone material lack flexibility in constructing walls with bends other than 90 degrees, resulting in poor cohesion and resistance to wind and rain.
Innovation Solution
The development of a wall block with complementary extension and receiving arrangements that allow for form-fitting engagement at various angles, enabling flexible construction of walls with bends while maintaining structural integrity and tightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional wall blocks with fixed geometric shapes are used, then manufacturing and construction are simple, but flexibility in constructing walls with bends other than 90 degrees is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The wall block is designed with universal extension and receiving arrangements that can engage at multiple angles (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°), allowing a single block design to serve multiple wall configuration functions. The extension arrangement on one block complements the receiving arrangement on adjacent blocks, enabling the same block type to be used for straight walls, 45° bends, 90° corners, and other angular configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall block design incorporates movable and adjustable engagement features rather than fixed geometric constraints. The extension and receiving arrangements can adapt to different angular relationships between adjacent blocks, allowing the wall structure to dynamically adjust to various bend configurations while maintaining structural integrity through form-fitting engagement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wall blocks are designed for form-fitting engagement at various angles, then flexibility in wall construction is improved, but cohesion and resistance to wind and rain deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The wall block features locally optimized engagement surfaces with specific geometric profiles designed for form-fitting connection. The extension and receiving arrangements have complementary shapes that create interlocking joints at various angles, providing localized strength and weather resistance at the connection points while maintaining overall wall flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall block combines artificial stone material with strategically designed geometric features (extension and receiving arrangements) to create a composite structural system. The artificial stone provides inherent durability and weather resistance, while the geometric features enable angular adaptability, together achieving both flexibility and reliability.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional wall blocks are used, then material usage is straightforward, but thermal insulation performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wall block design incorporates segmentation through the extension and receiving arrangements, which create interlocking joints that reduce thermal bridges between adjacent blocks. The artificial stone material is segmented into modular units with optimized geometries that maintain continuous insulation paths while enabling flexible wall configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
Wall block (2) made of artificial stone material; it has an overall elongate form and a first seating surface (10); an opposing second seating face (12); a first end face (14); an opposing second end face (16); a first wall surface side (18); an opposing second wall surface side (20); it has, on its first seating face, a first seating surface (4) and, on its second seating face, a second seating surface (6); it has a lateral surface (8) and a plurality of extension arrangements (30) arranged in a row on its first seating face (10) and a plurality of receiving arrangements (40) arranged in a row on its second seating face (12), these arrangements each being complementary to one another such that a particular extension arrangement fits in form-fitting engagement with a particular receiving arrangement of a third further wall block which is designed as a receiving arrangement of the claimed wall block, and such that a particular receiving arrangement fits in form-fitting engagement with a particular extension arrangement of a fourth further wall block which is designed as an extension arrangement of the claimed wall block, the particular extension arrangement and the particular receiving arrangement being designed such that the form-fitting engagement—considered per se—is possible both when the longitudinal central axes of the claimed wall block and of the third further or fourth further wall block are parallel to one another and when the longitudinal central axes of the claimed wall block and of the third further or fourth further wall block—seen in plan view of the first seating face or the second seating face of the claimed wall block—extend at an angle (81) to one another; and it is formed having a fin (60) at the transition between its first end face and its first wall surface side, and/or at the transition between its first end face and its second wall surface side, which fin protrudes beyond a virtual flat surface (61) located at the center of the first end face at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the wall block.