Equipment pad with underside ribs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Molded equipment pads used to support heavy equipment, such as air conditioning units, require sufficient strength while minimizing material usage to reduce costs, weight, and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A molded equipment pad design featuring a continuous equipment support deck, perimeter side walls, and an underlying network of arc-shaped reinforcing ribs, including radial and concentric arc-shaped ribs, with gussets and fillets at intersections, to distribute load evenly and optimize material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional molded equipment pads are designed with sufficient material to support heavy equipment, then structural strength is improved, but material usage increases leading to higher cost, weight, and environmental impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved arc-shaped ribs instead of straight ribs to distribute loads more efficiently. The curved geometry of the ribs allows for better load distribution across the pad structure, enabling reduced material usage while maintaining structural strength. The arc-shaped ribs conform to the stress patterns in the material, optimizing structural efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The equipment pad is segmented into a deck portion and an underlying rib network with multiple arc-shaped ribs arranged in a specific pattern. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve high structural efficiency with less material by creating a lightweight yet strong framework that distributes loads effectively across the entire pad structure.
2Quantity of substance
If material usage is minimized to reduce cost and weight, then manufacturing cost and environmental impact are improved, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The rib network features varying rib heights and configurations at different locations to optimize material distribution. The first, second, and third arc-shaped ribs have different heights and positions tailored to the specific load requirements of each region, ensuring structural strength is maintained while minimizing overall material usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The equipment pad combines a deck portion with an integrated rib network formed from the same or compatible materials, creating a composite structure that optimizes both strength and material efficiency. The integration of the rib network with the deck creates a unified structure that maximizes structural performance per unit of material.
Data Source
AI summary
A molded equipment pad having a top deck, side walls, underlying reinforcing radial ribs, and underlying reinforcing arc-shaped ribs. The arc-shaped ribs may include a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the center of the equipment pad and that extend toward the side walls of the pad and a number of distributed circular hubs. Alternatively, the arc-shaped ribs may include a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the center of the equipment pad that end short of the side walls, a series of opposing arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the corners of the equipment pad, and a number of distributed circular hubs.