Containment Berm Hinge Assembly for Fast Folding and Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containment berms for liquid pollutants are cumbersome to deploy and store due to time-consuming brace placement and removal, brace misplacement, and the need for replacing the entire berm when braces are damaged.
Innovation Solution
A flexible containment berm with interior hinges that allow for easy deployment and storage, featuring sleeves and a slotted spring pin for torque resistance, enabling quick sidewall raising and folding for vehicle access and compact storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If braces are permanently attached to the containment berm, then the braces are always available and do not get misplaced, but the braces become a hindrance to compactly folding the containment berm for storage
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is divided into separate components: hinge bodies permanently attached to the berm, and removable brace members that can be detached. This segmentation allows the permanent attachment point to remain while the movable brace can be removed during storage, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly incorporates a dynamic connection system where the brace member can be attached and detached from the hinge bodies. This dynamic capability allows the system to transition between a permanently attached state (for reliability during use) and a detached state (for ease of storage), resolving the technical contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If braces are not permanently attached to the berm material, then the braces do not hinder compact folding for storage, but the braces easily become misplaced and are not available when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge body serves as an intermediary component permanently attached to the berm, providing a fixed attachment point. The removable brace member connects to this intermediary during use, ensuring availability without requiring permanent attachment of the entire brace assembly, thus resolving the contradiction between storage ease and reliability.
3Reliability
If the containment berm includes permanently attached braces, then the braces are always available for use, but when the braces become damaged it is necessary to replace the entire containment berm
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into permanent hinge bodies and removable brace members. When a brace member becomes damaged, only the removable brace needs to be replaced, not the entire containment berm. This segmentation dramatically improves ease of repair while maintaining reliability through the permanent attachment points.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable brace members can be discarded when damaged and replaced with new ones, while the permanent hinge bodies are retained and reused. This approach improves ease of repair by allowing selective replacement of only the damaged components rather than the entire system.
4Reliability
If traditional brace placement methods are used, then the containment berm can retain spilled liquids, but the braces are time consuming to place and remove as vehicles drive on and off
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge bodies are pre-permanently attached to the containment berm during manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the time-consuming step of attaching braces during deployment, as only the removable brace members need to be connected to the pre-positioned hinge bodies, significantly reducing placement time while maintaining liquid retention capability.
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
Facilitates rapid deployment and storage of the containment berm, reduces hardware loss, and allows for easy replacement of damaged hinges, enhancing operational efficiency and storage compactness.
Implementation Method 1
featuring sleeves and a slotted spring pin for torque resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A containment berm formed of a flexible, substantially impermeable polymer material defining a ground section with a plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the ground section. A plurality of hinges are positioned on an interior of the containment berm, with the hinges having first and second aims rotating on a pin, the first arm engaging a first sleeve on one of either the ground section or a sidewall, and the second arm engaging a second sleeve on the other of the ground section or the sidewall. The second sleeve is configured to allow the hinge to slide far enough away from the first sleeve to allow the first arm to disengage from the first sleeve.