Outdoor Flooring Tray Interconnection for Wind Uplift Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Outdoor flooring systems with loose-laid pavers face instability and uplift issues during extreme weather conditions, as existing mechanical wind uplift resistance mechanisms are ineffective in securely retaining pavers without relying on attachment to pedestals, leading to potential dislodgement and damage.
Innovation Solution
The interconnection of flooring trays via leg segments and fasteners creates a unified system that dissipates uplift forces across the entire assembly, minimizing the risk of dislodgement, and additional securement mechanisms like brackets and hooks further stabilize the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pavers are loose-laid on pedestals without adhesives or anchoring, then ease of installation and maintenance is improved, but wind uplift resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flooring system is divided into modular components: individual pavers, pedestals with integrated securement mechanisms, and interconnecting elements. Each pedestal acts as an independent unit with built-in washers and screws that segment the wind uplift resistance function across multiple discrete attachment points rather than relying on a single continuous attachment method.
Solution Approach 2:
The pedestal serves as an intermediary element between the paver and the subflooring. It introduces mechanical securement components (washers and screws) that mediate the connection, allowing the paver to be both easily installed and securely retained against wind uplift forces without direct adhesive bonding to the subflooring.
2Reliability
If washer/screw combination mechanisms are used to secure pavers to pedestals, then wind uplift resistance is improved, but mechanical attachment between pavers, screws, and pedestals deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The securement mechanism merges multiple functions into the pedestal component itself. The pedestal integrates the attachment point, washer, and screw retention features into a single unified element, creating a robust mechanical connection that simultaneously provides wind uplift resistance and strong mechanical attachment without requiring separate components.
3Reliability
If pedestals are secured to the roof's rubber membrane, then wind uplift resistance is improved, but the system creates additional failure points deteriorating reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The securement mechanism is extracted from the pedestal and transferred to the paver itself. The paver incorporates integrated washers and screws that directly attach to the pedestal, eliminating the need for separate pedestal-to-membrane attachment. This extraction removes the intermediate attachment point and its associated failure risks while maintaining wind uplift resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to an outdoor flooring assembly for securing flooring trays to improve stability and wind uplift resistance. The flooring trays each include a plurality of securement mechanisms coupled to a bottom surface thereto, the securement mechanisms designed to interconnect with one another to securely retain adjacent trays together and minimize the risk that any individual tray is dislodged.