Ice Floor Panel with Reinforced Insulating Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor panels designed for ice surfaces face challenges in withstanding high surface loads and providing adequate thermal insulation when used for purposes other than sports, particularly when subjected to heavy vehicles and varying temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A floor panel with a mechanical locking system and an insulating layer made of hard foam, reinforced with elements such as wooden bolts, which are pressed into the foam layer to enhance load-bearing capacity and thermal insulation, allowing the panel to be used on ice surfaces for diverse events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an insulating layer made of hard foam is used to provide thermal insulation for ice surfaces, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but the load-bearing capacity deteriorates and cannot withstand high surface loads from heavy vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines hard foam insulating material with reinforcement elements (such as metal profiles, wooden beams, or plastic profiles) to create a composite structure. The hard foam provides thermal insulation while the reinforcement elements provide structural strength to withstand high surface loads from heavy vehicles and equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement elements are strategically positioned within the hard foam insulating layer at specific locations where high loads are expected. This localized reinforcement approach maintains good thermal insulation overall while providing targeted strength enhancement at critical load-bearing points.
2Ease of manufacture
If the insulating layer is made thinner to reduce weight and material cost, then ease of manufacture and cost are improved, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By combining hard foam with reinforcement elements, the structure achieves adequate thermal insulation with a thinner overall profile compared to using thick foam alone. The reinforcement elements allow the insulating layer to be optimized for both thickness and performance.
3Strength
If reinforcement elements are added to the insulating layer to increase load-bearing capacity, then strength is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The floor panel is divided into distinct functional layers: the hard foam insulating layer and the reinforcement elements. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately and then assembled, simplifying the overall manufacturing process despite the composite structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement elements serve multiple functions: they provide structural strength to withstand loads, act as a framework for attaching the panel surface, and can facilitate modular assembly of floor sections. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the floor panel to withstand high surface loads and provide effective thermal insulation, making it suitable for ice surfaces and flexible for different uses, including heavy vehicle traffic while preventing freezing of the insulating layer.
Implementation Method 1
an insulating layer made of hard foam, in which a multiplicity of reinforcement elements are provided for supporting the panel... good thermal insulation can be achieved via the hard foam
Implementation Method 2
The reinforcement elements are pressed into bores in the insulating layer made of rigid foam
Implementation Method 3
The reinforcement elements are pressed into bores in the insulating layer made of rigid foam... so that a higher surface load on the floor panel is possible
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a base plate (1) for laying on a hard subsurface, particularly ice, comprising a plate (10) on the lateral edges of which a mechanical locking device (11, 12) for connecting two neighboring plates (10) is provided, wherein at least one insulating layer (21) composed of a hard foam is disposed beneath the plates (10). According to the invention, a plurality of reinforcing elements (22, 25, 27, 28) are provided in the insulating layer (21) for supporting the plate (10), so that the base plate has a high load-bearing capacity along with good heat insulation.