Elastic Cargo Support Body with Segmented Elastomer and Rigid Core
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support bodies for cargo in containers face a challenge in providing a gentle, contour-adaptive fixation that is also robust enough to withstand rough operating conditions and ensure secure attachment to the container.
Innovation Solution
A form-elastic support body with a cover made of elastomer or rubber-elastic polymer and a core of differing Shore hardness, thermally welded or overmoulded to a base plate, allowing for adaptable deformation and secure attachment, featuring a core with webs or rod-shaped structures to transmit compressive forces and prevent slipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a purely elastic support body is used for gentle load fixation, then the load is protected from damage and surface scratches, but the connection to the container becomes insufficient for rough operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The support body is divided into two distinct parts: an elastic lid (made of elastomer or rubber-elastic polymer) that contacts the load, and a rigid base plate that provides structural support and secure attachment to the container. This segmentation allows each part to fulfill its specific function optimally without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the support body are assigned different material properties: the lid region uses soft, elastic material for gentle load contact and protection, while the base plate region uses hard, rigid material for robust connection. This local differentiation of material qualities resolves the contradiction between gentleness and robustness.
2Reliability
If a rigid support body is used for robust container connection, then the connection reliability improves, but the load suffers from surface damage and scratches
Solution Approach 1:
The support body is segmented into an elastic lid and a rigid base plate, allowing the lid to provide gentle contact with the load while the base plate ensures robust connection to the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid portion is made of elastic material with different Shore hardness than the base plate, creating local quality differentiation where the contact surface is soft and protective while the connection portion is hard and robust.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single-material support body is used, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but it cannot simultaneously provide gentle load contact and robust structural support
Solution Approach 1:
The support body uses a composite structure combining elastomer/rubber-elastic polymer for the lid and a harder plastic for the base plate. This composite approach enables simultaneous achievement of gentle load contact and robust structural support, while the thermal welding or overmolding process maintains manufacturing efficiency.
4Ease of manufacture
If the lid and base plate are made of the same material, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the structural performance and adaptability to operating conditions are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lid and base plate are made of different materials with different Shore hardness values, allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function and operating conditions. The lid material can be selected for elasticity and load protection, while the base plate material can be selected for structural strength and attachment robustness.
Solution Approach 2:
The support body employs composite materials with different properties for different components, enhancing adaptability to various operating conditions including rockfall, water exposure, and cold temperatures, while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through thermal welding or overmolding processes.
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 solution enables a material-friendly, shock-absorbing, and secure fixation of cargo, protecting against scratches and damage, while ensuring a robust connection to the container, adaptable to various operating conditions and cargo dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
The core features a number of webs that extend from the lid to the base plate to transfer compressive forces
Implementation Method 2
The elastic design of the support body allows for the gentle fixation of shock-sensitive loads. The use of an elastomer as the material for the support body proves particularly advantageous, as it not only dampens impacts
Implementation Method 3
The core reinforces the lid's compressive strength and provides a resilient effect when the lid is deformed under load and then released
Implementation Method 4
the lid is thermally welded to the base plate or overmolded in a form-fitting or material-locking manner, thus forming a robust connection between the lid and the base plate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A form-fitting support body 1 serves to hold cargo in a container. It consists of a cargo-side, cup-shaped lid 2, a core 7 which at least partially fills the interior of the lid 2, and a base plate 4 which closes the lid 2 and core. The lid 2 is made of an elastomer or rubber-elastic polymer, and the core 7 is made of a plastic whose Shore hardness differs from that of the lid material and increases the compressive strength of the lid 2. The lid 2 is thermally welded or overmolded to the base plate 4 using a form-fit or material-fit method.