Corrugated Polymer Utility Enclosure for Underground Obstacles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underground utility enclosures made of rigid cast concrete or composite materials are costly, time-consuming to produce, and prone to breakage during transport and installation, requiring extensive handling and storage, and often necessitate the removal of underground obstructions before installation.
Innovation Solution
A corrugated underground utility enclosure system made from a shatterproof thermoplastic polymer material, allowing for slight deformation to accommodate obstacles and enabling on-site cutting and modification with hand tools, reducing the need for multiple enclosure sizes and configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid cast concrete or composite material enclosures are used, then structural strength is improved, but breakage during transport and installation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid cast concrete/composite to flexible thermoplastic polymer, transforming the enclosure from brittle to ductile. This allows the structure to deform rather than break under stress during handling and installation, resolving the contradiction between maintaining strength and preventing breakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with a thermoplastic polymer outer shell and internal reinforcement structure. This composite approach provides both the flexibility needed to prevent breakage during transport and the structural strength required for underground utility enclosure applications.
2Manufacturing precision
If exact fixed dimensions and configurations are required for enclosures, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the number of different enclosure types increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability through flexible material properties, allowing a single enclosure design to accommodate various dimensional requirements through controlled deformation. The thermoplastic material can be stretched or compressed to fit different opening sizes and configurations, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-size enclosures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal enclosure design that can serve multiple applications and configurations through its flexible material properties. A single thermoplastic enclosure model can be adapted to different utility configurations, opening sizes, and installation conditions, replacing the need for numerous specialized enclosure types.
3Strength
If bulky and heavy enclosures are used, then structural strength is improved, but storage and transport costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material density and weight parameters by using thermoplastic polymer instead of cast concrete. This reduces the enclosure weight significantly while maintaining structural strength through the flexible material's tensile properties and internal reinforcement, directly addressing the weight-cost contradiction.
4Reliability
If complete removal of underground obstructions is required, then installation reliability is improved, but preparation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the dynamic flexibility of the thermoplastic material to accommodate underground obstructions during installation. The enclosure can be deformed to navigate around rocks, roots, or other obstacles without requiring their complete removal, reducing preparation time while maintaining reliable installation.
Data Source
AI summary
An underground utility enclosure system and method for installation over a junction point for underground utility conduit, cables, wires, and pipes, providing lighter less-expensive shatterproof enclosures, which can be more quickly manufactured and transported, more easily stored and handled on-site, and more easily installed with less heavy equipment and fewer personnel. A corrugated enclosure body made of a shatterproof polymer material has annular correlation, and allows for slight deformation to accommodate underground obstacles and allows on-site cutting and modification with available hand tools to adapt to different installation needs, allowing the purchase and storage of a smaller number of different sizes and configurations of enclosures to address a greater number of installation circumstances. At least three anchor loops provide for efficient handing and installation. A fitted lid available in various materials provides appropriate strength at an appropriate cost for different installation needs. The underground utility enclosure can optionally be provided as a kit.