Composite Service Trench Structure for Load Strength and Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current trench manufacturing techniques struggle to consistently produce trenches with sufficient strength and stiffness to withstand pressures from conduits, substrates, and above-ground forces, while also ensuring secure connections between trenches.
Innovation Solution
The development of a trench apparatus and manufacturing method that incorporates a composite structure of foam beams wrapped in fiberglass, formed using a transfer molding process, which provides enhanced strength and stiffness. This composite structure includes interconnected longitudinal, transverse, and side beams, with a fiberglass shell surrounding the foam beams to improve load distribution and structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If current trench manufacturing techniques are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but trench strength and stiffness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining foam beams with fiberglass reinforcement. The foam beams provide structural core support while the fiberglass wrapping adds tensile strength and stiffness. This composite construction resolves the contradiction by achieving high strength and stiffness (improving_feature) through a manufacturable process using mold tools and resin injection (addressing worsening_feature).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes material parameters by using foam with specific density and fiberglass with specific weave patterns and resin formulations. These parameter changes enable consistent manufacturing (improving worsening_feature) while achieving the required strength and stiffness (improving_feature) through controlled material properties during the molding process.
2Reliability
If trenches are manufactured with sufficient strength and stiffness, then they can withstand pressures, but manufacturing consistency is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning foam beams with reinforcement materials before the final molding process. The mold tools are prepared with specific geometries and the fiberglass is pre-cut and positioned, ensuring that when resin is injected, the trenches consistently achieve the required strength and stiffness (improving_feature) with uniform manufacturing quality (improving worsening_feature).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls material parameters such as foam density, fiberglass weave pattern, resin viscosity, and curing temperature to achieve consistent manufacturing (improving worsening_feature). These controlled parameters ensure that each trench reliably withstands required pressures (improving_feature) with minimal variation between units.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple trenches are fit together to extend service supply, then coverage is extended, but secure connections between trenches are difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by designing trenches as modular units that can be manufactured separately and then connected. Each trench segment maintains consistent strength and stiffness through the composite foam-fiberglass construction, and the standardized segments can be reliably joined together (improving worsening_feature) to extend service supply coverage (improving_feature).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses controlled material parameters in the foam and fiberglass composite structure to ensure consistent dimensional tolerances and mechanical properties (improving worsening_feature). This consistency enables reliable connections between multiple trench segments (improving_feature) while maintaining the required connection security (improving worsening_feature).
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 proposed solution enables the consistent and cost-effective manufacturing of trenches with improved strength and stiffness, allowing them to withstand various pressures and maintain alignment, while also facilitating secure connections between adjacent trenches.
Implementation Method 1
a composite structure of foam beams wrapped in fiberglass
Implementation Method 2
with a fiberglass shell surrounding the foam beams to improve load distribution and structural integrity
Implementation Method 3
formed using a transfer molding process
Data Source
AI summary
Various exemplary devices, systems, and methods for trenches for delivering a service supply are provided. In general, a trench, which may also be referred to as a “trough,” is configured to be located underground and “house” pipes or other conduits therein through which a service supply is configured to be provided from a source of the service supply to a point of end use. Examples of a service supply include power, data, and fuel. In an exemplary implementation, the trench includes a plurality of interconnected support beams and is a composite trench formed of different materials.