Cuttable Anti-Fouling Unit for Non-Flat Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anti-fouling technologies struggle to effectively cover non-flat and non-smooth surfaces with anti-fouling units, particularly those with irregularities such as welding seams and markings, due to limitations in design and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
The anti-fouling unit is designed with a combination of active and passive slab zones, allowing it to be divided into separate pieces that can be fitted onto non-flat and non-smooth surfaces while maintaining functionality, using a plate-shaped carrier slab with an emission surface and a light-emitting arrangement to provide anti-fouling action across both zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If anti-fouling units are designed as fixed-size plate-shaped carriers, then manufacturing and installation are simplified, but they cannot effectively cover non-flat and non-smooth surfaces with irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-fouling unit is divided into active slab zones containing electric circuits and passive slab zones without circuits. This segmentation allows the unit to be cut into smaller pieces along passive zones while maintaining functionality in active zones, enabling adaptation to complex surfaces without redesigning the entire unit structure
Solution Approach 2:
Different zones of the carrier slab are assigned different functions: active slab zones contain light-emitting arrangements for anti-fouling action, while passive slab zones serve as flexible regions for cutting and adaptation. This local differentiation enables the unit to maintain simplicity in design while gaining versatility in application
2Area of stationary object
If anti-fouling units cover entire surface areas including irregularities, then complete coverage is achieved, but the units cannot be properly fitted around welding seams and markings
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the carrier slab into active and passive zones, the unit can be cut into smaller pieces that can be fitted around irregularities like welding seams and markings, while the active zones ensure continuous anti-fouling coverage across the entire surface area
3Device complexity
If the light-emitting arrangement is confined to a limited active zone, then device complexity is reduced, but anti-fouling action does not extend to passive slab zones
Solution Approach 1:
The passive slab zones act as intermediaries that transmit light from the active zones. Although no circuits are placed in passive zones, the light-emitting arrangements in active zones produce anti-fouling light that extends through and covers the passive zones, ensuring complete surface protection without additional circuits
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
This design enables complete and flexible coverage of complex surfaces by ensuring the anti-fouling action extends to both active and passive slab zones, maintaining functionality and adaptability to various surface irregularities.
Implementation Method 1
a light-emitting arrangement configured to emit anti-fouling light
Implementation Method 2
subject an exterior side of the emission surface and surroundings thereof to an anti-fouling action
Data Source
AI summary
An anti-fouling unit (1) is configured to be arranged on a surface and comprises at least one electric circuit (30) including a light-emitting arrangement (31) configured to emit anti-fouling light. Further, the anti-fouling unit (1) comprises a carrier slab (40) carrying the at least one electric circuit (30), which carrier slab (40) includes at least one active slab zone (42) where the at least one electric circuit (30) is located and at least one passive slab zone (43) outside the active slab zone (42) that is configured to allow a division of the anti-fouling unit (1) in separate pieces without deteriorating the anti-fouling functionality, and the light-emitting arrangement (31) of the at least one electric circuit (30) is configured to realize the anti-fouling functionality both at a position of the at least one active slab zone (42) and at a position of the at least one passive slab zone (43).