Arc-Ribbed Equipment Pad Structure for High Stiffness, Low Weight
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Molded equipment pads designed to support heavy equipment, such as air conditioning units, face challenges in balancing strength with material minimization to reduce costs, weight, and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
The equipment pad features a network of arc-shaped reinforcing ribs, including radial and concentric arc-shaped ribs, with varying heights and gussets at intersections, which provide enhanced structural support while minimizing material usage, allowing for a thinner and lighter design with increased stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional straight-line ribs are used, then the equipment pad has sufficient structural support, but the amount of material used increases and the pad becomes heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved arc-shaped ribs instead of straight-line ribs. The arc-shaped configuration distributes loads more efficiently across the pad structure, providing equivalent or superior structural support with reduced material quantity. The curvature allows the ribs to span greater distances while using less material, directly reducing pad weight while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The rib structure is segmented into multiple arc-shaped ribs arranged in a radial pattern from the center point. This segmentation allows the load to be distributed across multiple discrete structural elements rather than requiring a continuous solid structure, reducing overall material usage while maintaining structural integrity.
2Strength
If the deck thickness is increased to improve stiffness, then structural strength increases, but material consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The arc-shaped ribs with optimized curvature provide structural stiffness equivalent to thicker decks. The curved geometry inherently resists bending forces more effectively than straight lines, allowing the use of thinner deck material while maintaining the required stiffness and load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rib intersections include gussets that locally increase thickness and strength only where structurally necessary. This localized reinforcement provides maximum stiffness where needed while keeping the overall deck thickness minimal, optimizing material distribution rather than uniformly increasing thickness throughout.
3Strength
If more material is used in pad construction, then structural strength and stability improve, but manufacturing cost and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The arc-shaped rib configuration provides superior structural efficiency compared to conventional straight ribs. The curved geometry distributes stresses more effectively, allowing the same structural strength to be achieved with less material. This reduces both manufacturing cost and environmental impact associated with material production and disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The pad combines the deck material with strategically positioned arc-shaped ribs to create a composite structure. This composite design optimizes material usage by concentrating structural reinforcement only where needed rather than using homogeneous thick material throughout, reducing overall material consumption while maintaining strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A molded equipment pad having a top deck, side walls, underlying reinforcing radial ribs, and underlying reinforcing arc-shaped ribs. The arc-shaped ribs may include a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the center of the equipment pad and that extend toward the side walls of the pad and a number of distributed circular hubs. Alternatively, the arc-shaped ribs may include a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the center of the equipment pad that end short of the side walls, a series of opposing arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the corners of the equipment pad, and a number of distributed circular hubs.