Formwork Supporting Head Retaining Element Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing formwork systems for horizontal concrete castings are unsafe during assembly and disassembly, prone to accidental disengagement of longitudinal profiles from supporting heads, require complex shaping and processing, and are not cost-effective to produce.

Innovation Solution

The formwork design features longitudinal profiles with a central body and two longitudinal parts, supporting heads with plate-like bases, lateral shoulders, and cantilever flaps to prevent tipping, along with simple and quick production processes, ensuring secure engagement and disengagement, enhanced safety, and cost-effectiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If longitudinal profiles are designed to hang between supporting heads with engagement elements, then panel assembly is enabled, but accidental disengagement occurs causing safety hazards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel assemblyVSAvoidengagement retention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting head incorporates a retaining element that protrudes into the longitudinal profile before disengagement can occur. This preemptive mechanical interlock prevents accidental disconnection during panel assembly and operation, addressing the safety hazard while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

A retaining element acts as an intermediary component between the supporting head and the longitudinal profile. This mediator ensures secure engagement by physically blocking disengagement, thereby improving reliability without complicating the overall assembly process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If longitudinal profiles are processed with drilling and material removal for engagement passages, then supporting head engagement is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengagement formationVSAvoidprofile processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating engagement passages by removing material from the longitudinal profile, the design inverts the approach by having the supporting head provide the engagement structure. The retaining element on the supporting head engages with the profile without requiring drilling or material removal, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The engagement function is extracted from the longitudinal profile and transferred to the supporting head. By removing the need for engagement passages in the profile, the manufacturing process is simplified while the supporting head assumes the role of providing secure engagement through its retaining element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If supporting heads have complex shaped engagement elements, then secure panel connection is achieved, but production cost and manufacturing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection securityVSAvoidsupporting head structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting head features a localized retaining element rather than a completely complex structure. This local quality approach provides secure connection only where needed (at the engagement point) while keeping the rest of the supporting head simple, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity and production cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The supporting head is segmented into a simple base structure and a separate retaining element. This segmentation allows the majority of the supporting head to be manufactured simply, with only the specific retaining portion providing the complex engagement function, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining connection security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If longitudinal profiles rest on lateral shoulders in intermediate configuration, then assembly/disassembly is enabled, but tipping may occur without abutment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly disassemblyVSAvoidprofile stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The cantilever lateral flap is positioned to prevent tipping before it can occur during the intermediate configuration. This preemptive abutment provides stability to the longitudinal profile while it rests on the lateral shoulders, enabling safe assembly and disassembly operations without risk of accidental tipping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS10352052B2Formwork for performing horizontal castings for the provision of floors

Publication Date: 2019.07.16 FARESIN BUILDING DIV

AI summary

A formwork for performing horizontal castings for the provision of floors, of the type comprising a series of props, and supporting heads to be arranged on the props for the resting of panels designed to form a surface for a concrete casting, each panel comprising at least two longitudinal profiles, for resting on the supporting heads;each one of the longitudinal profiles comprises a central body, a first longitudinal part, for the fixing of the transverse elements, and an opposite second longitudinal part,each one of the supporting heads comprises a plate-like base from which there extends at least one lateral shoulder for the resting of the central body of a longitudinal profile in an intermediate configuration for assembly or disassembly, and a central protrusion, which protrudes from the same side as the lateral shoulders.