Curved Platform Bottom Deflection Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Platform bodies for heavy transportation suffer from deformation and stress on weld joints due to dynamic loads, leading to increased weight and production costs, while existing solutions have not effectively minimized deflection and enhanced loading capacity.

Innovation Solution

A platform body design featuring a curved bottom with tie means connecting opposite sides to reduce deflection, incorporating longitudinal supporting beams and using lightweight yet strong materials like HARDOX steel, with tie-rods or plates to distribute forces and maintain cargo volume.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If material thickness is increased in walls and bottom to eliminate deflection and stresses, then strength and reliability are improved, but weight increases considerably

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestrengthVSAvoidweight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The bottom of the platform body is curved upward to form an arch structure. This curvature allows the bottom to span between opposite sides without requiring excessive thickness, as the arch shape inherently resists bending moments and distributes loads more efficiently, thereby maintaining strength while reducing weight compared to a flat bottom design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The bottom is divided into multiple segments or sections, each with optimized thickness and curvature. This segmentation allows for material to be placed only where structurally necessary, reducing overall weight while maintaining strength in critical areas through the curved arch design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If material thickness is increased in walls and bottom to eliminate deflection and stresses, then reliability is improved, but production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The curved arch bottom design achieves the required reliability and load-bearing capacity without increasing material thickness, thereby reducing material costs. The curvature provides structural efficiency that allows thinner materials to perform as well as or better than thicker flat materials, lowering both material and manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Reliability

If tie means are mounted to eliminate deflection of sides, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The curved arch bottom inherently provides structural stability and reduces side deflection through its geometric shape, eliminating or reducing the need for additional tie means. This geometric solution achieves reliability without adding mechanical components, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 design achieves a significant reduction in weight while maintaining strength, absorbing kinetic energy and minimizing side deflection, thereby increasing loading capacity and reducing production costs.

Implementation Method 1

The dynamic load causes deformation of the bottom of the platform body in the form of elastic deflection and also plastic deformation because of this deflection

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deflection: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

said bottom has a bottom surface of a surface length between the opposite sides of the platform body that is larger than the spacing between said opposite sides, at least one part of said bottom being curved inward toward the cargo volume

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectArch action: Arch

Data Source

PatentEP2389303B1Platform body
Publication Date: 2013.10.30 SSAB TECHNOLOGY AB
  • EP2389303B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3a
  • EP2389303B1 patent drawingFigure 4~8

AI summary

Platform body (1, 80) comprising a bottom (21 ) to which two opposite sides (31, 32, 41, 42, 63, 83, 84) are connected that either consist of long sides or of short sides as well as at least one additional side for the formation of a cargo volume (LV), said bottom having a bottom surface of a surface length between the opposite sides of the platform body (1, 80) that is larger than the spacing between said opposite sides, at least one part of said bottom being curved inward toward the cargo volume (LV), wherein at least one tie means (22) is mounted with one end thereof connected to one of the opposite sides of the platform body (1, 80) and with the other end thereof connected to the other opposite side of the platform body (1, 80) in order to eliminate deflection of said sides when the bottom of the platform (1, 80) is loaded by goods.