Fillable Equipment Mounting Pad for Wind and Theft Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing equipment pads for outdoor appliances are either impractical due to their weight, cost, or fragility, and fail to securely anchor units against high winds, particularly in hurricane zones where wind speeds exceed 180 mph.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, cost-effective equipment pad made from a hollow plastic shell filled with a gelling formulation that can be completely filled with water, featuring adjustable securing straps and anchoring options to prevent tipping and theft, with a structure that allows for easy transportation and installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If prefabricated plastic pads are used, then ease of transport and installation is improved, but wind resistance and anti-tip stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The pad incorporates a hollow interior chamber that can be filled with water, sand, or other granular materials. This nested structure allows the pad to maintain its lightweight, transportable form while gaining the necessary weight for wind resistance when filled at the installation site.
Solution Approach 2:
The pad's weight parameter can be changed by filling the hollow chamber with different materials or varying the fill level. This allows the same pad structure to be adapted to different wind zone requirements without changing the pad's physical dimensions or structure.
2Reliability
If preformed solid concrete pads are used, then wind resistance is improved, but ease of transport and installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pad is segmented into a hollow shell structure rather than being a solid concrete mass. This segmentation allows the pad to be manufactured in a lightweight state for easy transport, while still providing the option to gain weight through filling at the installation site.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow interior chamber nested within the pad shell provides space for adding weight through water or sand filling, allowing the pad to transition from a lightweight transport state to a heavy wind-resistant state without requiring the pad itself to be transported in its final heavy configuration.
3Ease of operation
If foam interior pads are used, then ease of transport is improved, but structural durability and theft deterrence deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The pad structure can be changed from a lightweight foam-filled configuration to a water-filled configuration. The water filling not only provides the necessary weight for theft deterrence and wind resistance but also creates a more rigid, durable structure compared to foam-filled alternatives.
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, durable, and theft-deterrent equipment mounting system that effectively resists high winds and allows for easy installation, addressing the limitations of existing pads by ensuring the equipment remains stable and secure in extreme weather conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A lightweight, cost-effective equipment pad made from a hollow plastic shell 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.