Fence Plinth Member With Stiffening Formations For Sloping Ground
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plinths for fencing, such as those made of timber, concrete, and stone, face challenges including toxicity from chemical treatments, labor-intensive installation, handling difficulties due to bulkiness and heaviness, insufficient strength for sloping ground, and aesthetic issues with paint finishes not matching metal fences.
Innovation Solution
A plinth member designed with an elongate shape and stiffening formations that provide enhanced pressure load-bearing capacity, made from sheet material like pre-coated steel, allowing for easier installation and drainage, and configured for stackability and lapping to form assemblies that match the contour of the ground.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If timber plinths are used to retain soil, then they have sufficient strength and can be easily cut to size, but they require chemical treatment that leaches into the soil causing toxicity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from timber to metal sheet, fundamentally altering the chemical properties to eliminate leaching while maintaining structural strength through different mechanical properties of metal
Solution Approach 2:
The plinth member uses composite construction with metal sheet material forming the base structure, potentially combined with other materials to achieve both strength and environmental compatibility without chemical treatment
2Ease of manufacture
If timber plinths are used, then they can be relatively easily cut to size on site, but they are bulky and heavy causing handling and installation difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material from timber to metal sheet, which has different density and strength-to-weight characteristics, reducing handling weight while maintaining structural adequacy
Solution Approach 2:
The plinth member is constructed from sheet material that can be bent and formed into the required shape, eliminating the need for cutting while reducing weight compared to solid timber construction
3Strength
If concrete plinths are used, then they provide structural strength, but they are very bulky and heavy and cutting them to size is very labour and time intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes from concrete to metal sheet material, fundamentally altering the manufacturing and installation characteristics to enable faster, lighter installation while maintaining strength
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet material construction allows the plinth to be formed into required shapes without cutting, eliminating the time-consuming cutting process while reducing weight and bulk
4Duration of action of stationary object
If stone plinths are used, then they provide durability, but handling and installation are difficult due to heaviness and the process is very laborious and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes from stone to metal sheet material, fundamentally altering the weight and handling characteristics while maintaining durability through metal's inherent properties
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet material can be formed and installed without the laborious cutting and fitting required for stone, reducing installation time and handling difficulty while achieving the same protective function
5Adaptability or versatility
If conventional plinths are used on sloping ground, then they can be installed, but they have insufficient strength to resist bowing when there is significant soil height differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies stiffening formations at specific locations on the plinth member, concentrating structural reinforcement where it is most needed to resist bowing forces from soil pressure on sloping ground
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of metal sheet material with integrated stiffening formations creates a composite structure that provides both flexibility for slope adaptation and localized strength to resist bowing
6Shape
If paint is applied to plinths to match metal fences, then aesthetic consistency is improved, but the paint needs sufficient thickness to resist moisture degradation which increases application complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the base material to metal sheet, which can be pre-coated during manufacturing, transforming the paint application from a complex post-installation process to an integrated factory process
Solution Approach 2:
The metal plinth member is pre-coated with paint or protective layer during manufacturing before installation, eliminating the need for complex on-site painting and ensuring consistent aesthetic appearance from the start
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a substantially rectangular plinth member for installation at the base of a fence to at least partially close a space between the fence and a ground surface underneath the fence. The plinth member is elongate and comprises a first major surface and an opposite second major surface. The plinth member has a major axis and a minor axis extending perpendicular thereto, the major and minor axes defining a notional centre plane of the plinth member. The plinth member has first and second end margins at its respective opposite ends along the major axis and third and fourth end margins at its respective opposite ends along the minor axis. A plurality of substantially parallel stiffening formations are defined by portions of the plinth member that are displaced from the notional centre plane, extend between the first and second end margins, and are spaced apart between the third and fourth end margins. The stiffening formations are configured such that the plinth member has a greater pressure load bearing capacity when loaded on the first major surface than it has when loaded on the second major surface.