Corrugated End Cap With Ribs For Stormwater Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stormwater chambers, particularly end caps, are prone to deformation under stress from surrounding soil and equipment loads, leading to performance issues and costly replacements due to their underground location.
Innovation Solution
A corrugated end cap design featuring alternating peaks and valleys with ribs and valley reinforcements, which increases structural integrity and resistance to bending, and a fastening system with latch ridges for secure attachment to the chamber body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the end cap is made with a simple corrugated frame, then the manufacturing is easier and cost is lower, but the resistance to bending and structural integrity deteriorates under soil and equipment loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding ribs specifically in the valley regions of the corrugated frame where bending stresses are highest. These ribs provide localized reinforcement exactly where needed, rather than uniformly thickening the entire frame. The valley reinforcements further strengthen specific high-stress areas, allowing the frame to maintain high bending resistance while keeping the overall structure lightweight and cost-effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The end cap frame combines multiple structural elements (corrugated profile, ribs, and valley reinforcements) into a composite structure. This composite design integrates different geometric features that work together synergistically - the corrugations provide overall shape and some stiffness, while the ribs and valley reinforcements add targeted strength, creating a composite structure that achieves high bending resistance without requiring excessive material.
2Reliability
If the end cap structure is reinforced to withstand heavy loads, then the reliability improves, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement strategy is segmented into distinct functional elements: the base corrugated frame provides overall structure, ribs are added in specific valley regions for bending resistance, and valley reinforcements strengthen critical high-stress areas. This segmentation allows each element to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through modular construction approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs and valley reinforcements are incorporated into the end cap design during the manufacturing process itself, rather than being added as separate field-installation components. This preliminary action ensures the structural reinforcements are already in place before the end cap is installed in the underground chamber, eliminating the need for complex post-installation reinforcement work and simplifying the overall manufacturing and installation process.
3Strength
If the end cap uses additional reinforcement elements, then the structural integrity improves, but the manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
All reinforcement elements (ribs and valley reinforcements) are pre-integrated into the end cap structure during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures that when the end cap needs to be replaced, the entire reinforced structure can be installed as a single unit without requiring time-consuming field assembly of reinforcement components, thereby reducing replacement time while maintaining high structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the reinforcement elements (ribs and valley reinforcements) with the main end cap frame into a single integrated component. This merging allows the reinforced end cap to be manufactured and installed as one unit, eliminating the need for separate installation steps for reinforcement elements and reducing overall replacement time while maintaining enhanced structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A disclosed corrugated end cap includes a corrugated frame having one or more corrugations defined by one or more sets of alternating peaks and valleys. The end cap also includes one or more ribs disposed in one or more of the valleys and one or more valley reinforcements disposed in the valleys and running over a top surface of the corrugated frame. For example, the one or more ribs may be configured to increase a resistance of the frame to bending. Additionally or alternatively, the top surface, a front surface, and a rear of the corrugated frame surround a recess configured to receive latch ridges from a stormwater chamber.