Concrete Pressure Element Transport Anchor for Double Walls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport anchors for double walls face issues with steel pressure elements, which can lead to weld seam tearing and reduced stability due to localized weakening, while alternatives like wood or textile-reinforced concrete may absorb forces but risk detachment or damage from moisture and freezing.

Innovation Solution

A transport anchor with a pressure element made entirely of concrete, without reinforcing materials, ensuring uniform material properties and preventing moisture transfer, combined with a flexible base body like a stainless steel cable for enhanced safety and ease of production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a steel pressure element is welded onto the anchor legs, then the pressure element can be securely attached, but the weld seams become weakened areas that can tear and reduce stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment strengthVSAvoidstability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure element is made of concrete, the same material as the anchor legs and double walls, creating uniform material properties throughout. This eliminates the steel-concrete interface and weld seams that create weakened areas, ensuring homogeneous stress distribution and eliminating the source of instability while maintaining secure attachment through material continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

2Force

If a steel pressure element is used, then it can resist forces well, but it locally alters and weakens the surrounding material through welding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforce resistanceVSAvoidlocal strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Using concrete for the pressure element creates uniform material properties throughout the structure. The concrete pressure element distributes forces evenly across the anchor legs without creating localized weakened areas, as the material transitions are smooth and homogeneous rather than involving rigid steel interfaces that concentrate stress and create weakness zones.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

3Force

If a flexible material like wood is used for the pressure element, then it can absorb forces, but it can absorb liquids leading to corrosion and freezing damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforce absorptionVSAvoidmoisture damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The concrete pressure element has the same material properties as the surrounding concrete structure, creating a homogeneous system that is impervious to moisture. Unlike wood, concrete does not absorb liquids, preventing corrosion and freezing damage while still providing adequate force absorption through its mass and structural integration with the anchor legs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

4Ease of operation

If a steel pressure element is slidably held on the base body, then it can move freely, but it cannot remain in position under significant external forces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning easeVSAvoidposition stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure element is monolithically integrated with the anchor legs through the casting process, merging what would otherwise be separate components into a single unified concrete structure. This eliminates the need for sliding or detachable connections, providing both ease of operation (no positioning required) and reliability (cannot detach) through the inherent unity of the cast concrete structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3309327B1Transport anchor
Publication Date: 2020.07.08 ECONAC BVBA
  • EP3309327B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3309327B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP3309327B1 patent drawingFigure 7~10

AI summary

Transport anchor (20) for double walls, comprising a U-shaped base body with an arc-shaped central section (24) for attaching lifting devices, two anchor legs (26) extending from the central section (24) and running substantially parallel to each other, and a pressure element (28) arranged between the anchor legs (26). According to the invention, the pressure element (28) consists of a castable, hardening material, preferably concrete.