Fillable Mounting Pad for Wind-Stable Outdoor Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing equipment pads for outdoor appliances are either impractical due to high cost, time-consuming installation, or insufficient weight to prevent tipping in high winds, and they often lack effective theft deterrence.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, cost-effective, hollow plastic pad filled with a gelling formulation that can be completely filled with water, combined with adjustable securing straps and anchoring systems to secure appliances against high winds and theft, featuring a rotational molding process for reduced weight and increased structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If a poured concrete pad is used, then the pad provides sufficient weight to resist tipping in high winds, but the installation becomes time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The pad is segmented into a hollow shell structure that can be manufactured separately and then assembled on-site. This allows the pad to achieve sufficient weight through water filling while avoiding the time-consuming process of pouring and curing concrete.
Solution Approach 2:
Water is introduced as an intermediary substance to provide the necessary weight for wind resistance. The hollow pad structure serves as a container that can be filled with water, which then becomes the primary source of dead load to resist tipping forces.
2Loss of time
If conventional plastic pads are used, then the installation is quick and easy, but the pad weight is insufficient to prevent tipping in high winds
Solution Approach 1:
The pad employs a nested structure where a hollow plastic shell contains water. The water is nested within the shell, and together they provide the combined weight necessary for wind resistance while maintaining quick installation through pre-fabrication of the shell.
Solution Approach 2:
The pad's weight parameter is made variable through water filling. The hollow shell provides a lightweight structure for quick installation, while the water content can be adjusted to achieve the specific weight required for different wind conditions.
3Weight of moving object
If foam interior pads are used, then the pad is lightweight for transport, but the pad is prone to damage and insufficient weight in high winds
Solution Approach 1:
The pad uses a flexible yet durable hollow shell that can be easily transported. The shell is designed to be robust enough to withstand handling during transport and installation, while the hollow structure keeps the transport weight manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The pad combines the durability of a rigid hollow shell with the weight-providing properties of water. This composite approach creates a structure that is both durable and sufficiently heavy for wind resistance, unlike foam-cored pads that are prone to damage.
4Weight of stationary object
If the pad is completely filled with water, then the wind resistance is maximized, but freezing expansion may damage the pad
Solution Approach 1:
The design anticipates the freezing problem by incorporating expansion space or using freeze-resistant water formulations. This beforehand cushioning prevents structural damage while maintaining the weight-benefits of water filling.
Solution Approach 2:
The water formulation parameter is changed to be freeze-resistant, or the filling level parameter is adjusted to leave expansion space. This allows the pad to maintain sufficient weight for wind resistance while avoiding the structural damage that would result from freezing expansion.
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 provides a secure, easily transportable, and cost-effective equipment pad that effectively resists wind-induced tipping and theft, ensuring the stability of outdoor appliances in high wind conditions while eliminating the need for dedicated internal support structures.
Implementation Method 1
A lightweight, cost-effective, hollow plastic pad filled with a gelling formulation that can be completely filled with water
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting pad system for securing equipment, such as an HVAC outdoor unit or a standby generator, is provided in the form of a lightweight fillable pad member having a plurality of receivers located on a top surface of the pad member. The receivers are associated with attachment points located on the equipment and are used to secure the equipment to the pad. The pad member contains a filling port on its top surface and is configured as a molded hollow shell containing a gelling material which, when mixed with water, provides support to reduce deflection of the pad member caused by the equipment secured to the pad, prevents damage to the pad that would otherwise be caused by the expansion of internal contents upon freezing and prevents leakage of internal contents of the fillable pad in the event of an unintended breach in the hollow shell. The pad member is provided with at least one through-hole that acts as a supporting structure.