Flexible Wall Supports for Fluid Containment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current fluid containment apparatuses for vehicles during maintenance procedures lack robustness in their hinge mechanisms, requiring a biased hinge capable of significant flexing to allow vehicle entry and exit, which can be unreliable and prone to variations in performance.
Innovation Solution
A fluid containment apparatus with wall supports that include a pivoting leg system with a detent mechanism, allowing the side wall to be manually lowered and raised to facilitate vehicle entry and exit, using a pivoting leg that can pivot from an initial supporting position to a collapsed position and back, without the need for a biased hinge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a biased hinge mechanism is used to allow the side wall to flex for vehicle entry and exit, then the side wall can be lowered, but the mechanism becomes unreliable and prone to variations in performance
Solution Approach 1:
The wall support is divided into multiple segments: a base, a pivoting leg, and a support member. The pivoting leg can rotate relative to the base, and the support member can move relative to the pivoting leg, allowing the side wall to be lowered in a controlled manner without requiring a biased hinge mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a biased hinge that flexes outward to allow the side wall to collapse, the invention uses a pivoting leg mechanism where the support member is moved downward along the pivoting leg. This inverts the traditional approach by using a guided linear movement along a pivoting structure rather than a hinged flexing mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a biased hinge capable of flexing 180° is used, then the side wall can fully collapse for vehicle exit, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wall support structure is segmented into a base, pivoting leg, and support member, each performing a specific function. This segmentation allows the side wall to collapse fully while keeping each component simple and avoiding the need for a complex 180° biased hinge mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoting leg is designed to rotate dynamically as the support member moves from the supported position to the collapsed position. This dynamic adjustment allows the mechanism to adapt to the full range of motion required for vehicle exit without requiring a complex pre-biased hinge structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid containment apparatus with a floor and a side wall is provided. A wall support is included that supports the side wall and can be moved between an initial supporting position and a collapsed position. The side wall is movable from an initial containment position to a collapsed state to allow access for vehicles or other objects to the floor. The wall support and side wall are subsequently movable back to their initial positions. In some arrangements, the wall support is movable back to the initial supporting position from the collapsed position but is not movable beyond the initial supporting position. Additionally or alternatively, in other embodiments the wall support remains in the collapsed position until a returning force is applied to move the wall support back.