Flexible Modular Liquid Dam with Longitudinal Bores
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing modular liquid dams are costly and have flexibility issues due to material choice, leading to either rigid or flexible configurations that do not effectively adapt to substrate imperfections.
Innovation Solution
Modular liquid dam composed of soft, compressible, flexible polymeric elastomer material with longitudinal bores to reduce material usage and allow for adjustable rigidity through insertable stiffener rods, enhancing structural integrity and seal effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If modular liquid dams are made from solid polymeric elastomer material to ensure liquid impermeability and seal effectiveness, then the dam provides reliable liquid retention, but the material cost increases and flexibility becomes fixed
Solution Approach 1:
The dam member incorporates longitudinal bores through its body, transforming it from a solid to a porous structure. This reduces material usage and manufacturing cost while the bores are filled with stiffener rods to maintain structural integrity and liquid impermeability, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The dam member combines polymeric elastomer material with stiffener rods to create a composite structure. The elastomer provides flexibility and seal effectiveness, while the stiffener rods provide structural support and adjustability. This composite approach reduces material cost while maintaining reliable liquid retention
2Strength
If dam members are made rigid to increase structural integrity, then the dam maintains its shape and provides stable barrier, but it cannot conform to substrate imperfections effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The dam member is segmented into a composite structure with distinct functional components: the elastomer body provides flexibility for substrate adaptation, while the stiffener rods provide localized structural support. This segmentation allows the dam to simultaneously achieve structural integrity and adaptability to substrate imperfections
Solution Approach 2:
The dam member applies local quality by placing stiffener rods specifically within the longitudinal bores where structural support is needed, while the rest of the elastomer body remains flexible. This localized reinforcement maintains structural integrity in critical areas while preserving adaptability in other areas
3Strength
If solid material is used throughout the dam member to ensure structural integrity, then the dam maintains stable barrier formation, but the amount of material required increases manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts unnecessary solid material from the dam member body by creating longitudinal bores, removing only the material that is not needed for structural integrity. The stiffener rods are then inserted to provide the necessary structural support with minimal material, thus reducing material quantity while maintaining strength
Solution Approach 2:
The dam member is designed as a porous structure with longitudinal bores, reducing the quantity of solid material required. The bores are filled with stiffener rods that provide structural integrity, achieving the same strength with less material overall
4Adaptability or versatility
If flexible polymeric elastomer material is used to allow conformation to substrate imperfections, then the dam adapts well to uneven surfaces, but the dam becomes too flexible and lacks structural stability
Solution Approach 1:
The dam member is segmented into flexible elastomer material for substrate conformation and stiffener rods for structural stability. This segmentation allows each component to perform its primary function: the elastomer adapts to substrate imperfections while the stiffener rods maintain structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure combines flexible polymeric elastomer with rigid stiffener rods, creating a material system that exhibits both flexibility for substrate adaptation and rigidity for structural stability. The elastomer allows conformation to uneven surfaces while the stiffener rods prevent excessive flexibility
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 reduces manufacturing costs while providing a flexible and adjustable barrier that effectively conforms to substrate imperfections, ensuring a better seal and improved structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The members are composed of a soft, compressible, flexible, resilient non-rigid polymeric elastomer material... having a density that allows the bottom surface to weep or sag to conform to some degree with imperfections in the substrate
Implementation Method 2
The dam members are provided with one or more longitudinal bores or passages that reduce the amount of material required to make each member
Implementation Method 3
a stiffener rod or rods of varying rigidity may be inserted into the dam members to increase and vary the rigidity of the dam member as desired
Data Source
AI summary
A modular liquid dam having a plurality of individual elongated members that can be assembled in an end-to-end relationship to form a temporary liquid retainer or diverter on a substrate surface. The dam members are provided with one or more longitudinal bores or passages that reduce the amount of material in each member. The bores may extend completely through the dam member, may be internal bores closed off at each end, or may be bore segments intermittently spaced within the dam member. Preferably the bore members are open on at least one end of the dam member such that a stiffener rod or rods of varying rigidity may be inserted to increase and vary the rigidity of the dam member.