Flexible Spill Containment Pallet With Collapsible Support Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Rigid-walled spill containment pallets are cumbersome for storage and transport due to their large size and inflexible structure, which complicates the retention of liquid spills from large containers.
Innovation Solution
A spill containment pallet with a flexible, collapsible base and internal load-bearing support structure, allowing the deck members to be suspended from the base, enabling easy disassembly and compact storage and transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid-walled base members are used for spill containment, then liquid spill retention capability is ensured, but storage and transport become cumbersome due to large size and inflexible structure
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid-walled base member is divided into multiple panel sections that can be folded relative to each other. The deck is segmented into separate support structures that can be detached from the base member, allowing the components to be stored and transported in a compact configuration while maintaining full spill containment capability when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The base member transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic foldable structure with hinges allowing movement between panels. This enables the base to be collapsed into a compact form for storage and transport, while maintaining its full rigid containment volume when deployed for spill retention.
2Ease of operation
If the base member is made flexible and collapsible, then storage and transport become efficient, but the ability to support deck members and retain liquid spills may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The base member uses hinges to create a foldable structure that maintains rigidity when deployed but collapses efficiently for storage. The deck support structures are designed to be detachable, allowing them to be removed or detached when not in use, enabling compact storage while providing full structural support and spill containment when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The structure is divided into separable components including the base member with hinges, deck members, and support structures. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the base can fold for storage while the deck and supports provide structural integrity and spill containment when assembled together.
3Reliability
If the pallet is designed with large internal volume for spill containment, then all liquid from containers can be retained, but the structure becomes too large for practical storage and transport
Solution Approach 1:
The base member is designed with hinges allowing it to expand to a large volume when deployed for spill containment, then collapse to a compact form for storage and transport. This dynamic transformation enables the same structure to provide both large internal volume for retaining all liquid from containers and small storage volume for practical handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The base member is divided into foldable panel sections that can be collapsed together for compact storage. When assembled, these panels form the large internal volume needed for spill containment, but can be disassembled or folded into a much smaller configuration for storage, reducing the volume of the moving object during non-operational periods.
Data Source
AI summary
A secondary or spill containment pallet that is the combination of a base or reservoir member composed of a flexible, non-self-sustaining material, one or more horizontally disposed apertured deck members, and an internal load-bearing support structure capable of supporting the deck member and liquid containers disposed on the deck members. The support structure maintains the deck members a suitable distance above the bottom of the base member such that a large internal volume is created, whereby liquid leaking or spilling from the containers will be received and retained within the base member, the walls of which are suspended from or attached to the deck members.