Sheet Metal Footpath Support Module with Anchored Spikes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support modules for outdoor walkways, particularly those crossing slopes, face issues with durability, slipping hazards, and high manufacturing costs, as well as limitations in adaptability and safety due to protruding metal skewers and complex designs.
Innovation Solution
A support module comprising a sheet metal channel profile with openings for skewers, where the second flank surface is equipped with an anti-slip surface for step usage and without for slope support, enhancing durability and safety while being easier to produce and adapt to different slopes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wooden boards with metal spikes are used as support modules, then the construction is simple and cost-effective, but the durability is low and there is risk of slipping and injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from wood to sheet metal, transforming the support module into a corrosion-resistant, durable structure while maintaining the simple construction approach of using standardized components with openings for anchoring elements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the short-lived wooden boards with long-lasting sheet metal structures that do not rot or deteriorate, eliminating the need for frequent replacement while keeping the construction method simple and cost-effective
2Stability of the object's composition
If metal spikes protrude from the ground to support wooden boards, then the support structure is stable, but there is risk of injury from the protruding spikes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful protruding spike function from the visible surface by integrating the anchoring openings directly into the sheet metal support module itself, allowing anchoring elements to be embedded within the structure rather than protruding outward
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet metal support module acts as an intermediary between the anchoring elements and the ground, providing a safe surface that distributes loads while preventing direct contact with harmful protruding spikes
3Reliability
If sheet metal support modules are used instead of wood, then durability and slip resistance are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin sheet metal profiles with simple geometric shapes that are easy to manufacture through standard rolling and punching processes, minimizing material usage and manufacturing complexity while achieving the desired durability and slip resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The support module is segmented into simple functional zones (vertical support surface, anchoring openings, anti-slip surface) that can be manufactured separately and assembled, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost
4Ease of manufacture
If standardized support modules are used, then production is simplified, but adaptability to different slope gradients is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the support module adaptable to different slope gradients by allowing adjustment of the anchoring elements' positions and orientations within the standardized sheet metal structure, enabling the same module design to function on various slope angles
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a support module for a step of a walkway (31) on unpaved ground, wherein the support module comprises a support part (1, 8, 21, 26) made of sheet metal and spikes (9), wherein the spikes (9) each penetrate a region of the support part (1, 8, 21, 26) and are inserted into the subsoil material (10), wherein the support part (1, 8, 21, 26) is a channel profile in which a profile groove is bounded by a central base surface (2, 11) and two lateral flank surfaces (3, 5, 13, 27), wherein one of the flank surfaces (3, 13) has openings (4) for the spikes (9). A border surface (7) adjoins both flank surfaces (3, 5, 13, 27), and is oriented at an angle to the flank surface (3, 5, 13, 27). The base surface (2, 11) represents the essentially vertical surface of the step, with the flank surface (3, 13) containing the openings (4) adjoining this base surface (2, 11) at its bottom.