Drying Pallet Corner Welding Gap Elimination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for drying objects like bricks and concrete suffer from instability due to unreliable spot welding connections, which result in gaps and reduced quality, and are costly to produce.

Innovation Solution

The support surfaces in the corner regions of the device are connected using solder welding after forming a depression, ensuring a secure connection without protrusion beyond the pallet surface, and reinforced with embossed indentations to prevent stress during the process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If spot welding is used to connect folded sheet metal surfaces, then connection is achieved, but process reliability is reduced due to gaps and tolerance issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidweld quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by forming recesses in the sheet metal surfaces before welding. These recesses are created in advance to accommodate the weld material and ensure proper alignment, preventing gaps and tolerance issues that would otherwise compromise weld quality and connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The recesses act as intermediaries between the two sheet metal surfaces to be welded. By providing a prepared receptacle for the weld material, the recesses mediate the connection process, ensuring that tolerances and minor misalignments do not result in defective welds, thereby improving both manufacturing precision and connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If sheet metal surfaces are folded and connected with spot welds, then structure is formed, but connection strength is reduced due to gaps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidprocess reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The recesses are formed in advance before the welding process, creating a prepared structure that ensures proper weld material placement. This preliminary preparation eliminates gaps and ensures consistent contact between surfaces, leading to stronger and more reliable connections while improving process reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional welding methods are used, then connection is achieved, but production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidconnection quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By forming recesses as a preliminary step, the patent enables the use of simpler, more cost-effective welding processes that can achieve reliable connections without requiring complex positioning or rework. The recesses ensure proper weld material flow and distribution, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining high connection quality and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 method enhances the torsional rigidity and reliability of the device while reducing production costs by ensuring a strong and gap-free connection, improving the overall stability and manufacturing efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

the support surfaces butt against one another in the corner region, are connected with a solder weld

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolder welding: Soldering

Data Source

PatentEP1906124B1Device for drying objects
Publication Date: 2011.11.02 ROBERT THOMAS METALL UND ELEKTROWERKE
  • EP1906124B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1906124B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1906124B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The device has a storage surface (1) including upper and lower longitudinal and transverse edges (2, 4), where side walls (3) of the edges (2) point downwards. Bearing surfaces (5) of the edges (4) point under the storage surface, where the bearing surfaces are aligned parallel to the storage surfaces. Two adjacent side walls and two adjacent bearing surfaces form an edge area (6). The bearing surfaces are joined to each other at an obtuse angle in the edge area, where the bearing surfaces are connected with a soldering weld that is formed in an area of a recess (7).