Event Floor Corner Cap Assembly for Safer Modular Openings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing event floor constructions either require multiple corner constructions for beveled and non-beveled floor coverings, leading to increased production costs and potential injury risks from sharp edges, while lacking homogeneous surface color and efficient corner opening mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A modular corner cap device comprising a base plate, corner cap unit, and attachment unit with a dovetail connection, allowing for a single corner construction to accommodate both beveled and non-beveled floor coverings, ensuring safe assembly, reduced production costs, and a homogeneous surface appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple corner constructions are used for beveled and non-beveled floor coverings, then adaptability to different floor types is improved, but device complexity and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different floor typesVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The corner cap device is designed as a universal component that can accommodate both beveled and non-beveled floor coverings. The base plate can be mounted on support profiles with or without chamfers, and the corner cap unit adapts to both configurations through its adjustable attachment mechanism, eliminating the need for separate corner constructions for different floor types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The corner cap device is divided into separate components: a base plate and a corner cap unit. This segmentation allows the base plate to be mounted on the support profile first, and then the corner cap unit to be attached afterward, providing flexibility to adapt to different floor covering configurations without requiring pre-configured specialized corner pieces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If corner caps are removed to create openings, then adaptability for pole installation is improved, but harmful factors such as sharp edges and injury risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability for pole installationVSAvoidinjury risks from sharp edges
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The base plate is designed to cover the sharp edges of the support profile ends before the corner cap unit is attached. This beforehand protection ensures that even if the corner cap unit is removed to create an opening for pole installation, the sharp edges remain covered by the base plate, preventing injury risks while maintaining adaptability for pole installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Device complexity

If a single corner construction is used for both beveled and non-beveled floors, then production costs and device complexity are reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The corner cap unit is designed with local adaptability features that allow it to fit both beveled and non-beveled configurations. The attachment mechanism includes adjustable elements that can accommodate the specific geometry of the support profile, whether chamfered or not, without requiring high precision manufacturing across all variants, as the adaptation is achieved through the local design of the attachment interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Ease of operation

If corner constructions are designed for easy disassembly to create openings, then ease of operation is improved, but load-bearing capacity may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidload-bearing capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The corner cap device is segmented into a base plate and a corner cap unit that can be easily detached. The base plate remains permanently mounted on the support profile to maintain structural integrity and load-bearing capacity, while the corner cap unit can be easily removed for pole installation. This segmentation allows easy operation for creating openings while preserving the load-bearing function through the permanent base plate connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3440290B1Floor structure for events
Publication Date: 2021.11.24 WILHELM LAYHER VERWALTUNGS GMBH
  • EP3440290B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3440290B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3440290B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a floor structure for events, comprising: two side profiled sections that lie opposite and parallel to one another; two end profiled sections that lie opposite and parallel to one another and form, along with said side profiled sections, the periphery of a rectangle with open corner regions, wherein the side profiled sections and/or end profiled sections can be mounted on carrier profiled sections in order to form, for example, a stage or a podium; a floor covering attached to said end profiled sections and side profiled sections, particularly a plywood floor covering; corner connector profiles which, in the corner region in question, connect a side profiled section to an end profiled section in a load-bearing manner; and corner cap devices attached in each corner region and making the open corner region into a closed corner unit, characterised in that the corner cap device (30) comprises a plurality of separate components, specifically a base plate (32) which is attached to the corner connector profile or the side/end profiled sections and covers the outer contour of the corner connector profile and the exposed end face regions of the side and end profiled sections, as well as a corner cap unit (34) which is detachably connected to said base plate (32), makes the open corner region into a closed corner region, and forms an acute angle with tapering walls.