Integrated Rail Element for Industrial Floor Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hallway floor systems in the marine and mechanical engineering sectors face challenges with heavy, costly, and high-maintenance rail elements that require additional manufacturing steps and increase the overall height, weight, and complexity, limiting their suitability for walkways and machine operation/maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A hallway floor system with rail elements made from a single piece of metal, where the projection forming the coaming edge is integrated with the holding area, eliminating the need for separate angle elements, allowing for lighter, flatter, and more cost-effective production through extrusion or sheet metal forming, with embossings for enhanced rigidity and attachment capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If separate angle elements are welded onto rails to create the mounting area, then the rail element achieves sufficient strength and attachment capability, but the overall weight of the rail element increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate angle element and rail into a single integrated profile. The mounting area is formed as an integral part of the rail profile itself, eliminating the need for separate angle brackets and welding operations. This integration maintains structural strength while significantly reducing the overall weight of the rail element.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the separate angle element from the conventional design. By removing this redundant component and its associated welding process, the design achieves weight reduction while maintaining all necessary attachment capabilities through the integrated profile geometry.
2Strength
If separate angle elements are welded onto rails, then the mounting area is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the rail and mounting area into a single extruded profile, eliminating multiple manufacturing steps including separate angle element fabrication, positioning, and welding operations. This integration dramatically simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining attachment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the manufacturing approach from assembly-based (welding separate parts) to form-based (single extrusion). This parameter change in the manufacturing process eliminates complex welding operations and reduces production complexity while maintaining structural integrity.
3Strength
If angle brackets are welded onto rails to create the mounting area, then attachment capability is achieved, but the overall height of the rail element increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mounting area directly into the rail profile, eliminating the need for separate angle brackets that would increase overall height. The integrated design achieves attachment capability within the existing rail height dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention reconfigures the mounting area geometry to utilize the rail's existing cross-sectional dimensions more efficiently. By designing the mounting area as an integral feature of the rail profile rather than an additive component, the overall height is maintained while achieving sufficient attachment capability.
4Strength
If angle elements are used to create the mounting area, then attachment capability is achieved, but additional spacer elements are required to level bearing surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the leveling function directly into the rail profile design. The bearing surface is formed as an integral part of the extruded profile at the correct height, eliminating the need for separate spacer elements and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated rail profile performs multiple functions simultaneously: structural support, attachment mounting, and bearing surface provision. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate spacer components and reduces the total number of parts in the system.
5Strength
If conventional rail elements with separate angle brackets are used, then attachment capability is achieved, but the production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines all rail and mounting area functions into a single extruded profile, eliminating multiple manufacturing and assembly steps. This integration significantly improves production efficiency and reduces manufacturing time while maintaining attachment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the manufacturing parameter from assembly-based production to single-step extrusion. This fundamental parameter change eliminates welding operations and multi-step assembly processes, dramatically improving productivity and reducing production costs.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~3b
Figure 4a~5b
AI summary
The invention relates to a rail element (18) for an industrial floor system (10) with a retaining region (48) for attaching the rail element (18) on a substructure (12) and a support region (50) for attaching a floor element (20) of the industrial floor system (10), wherein the support region (50) has a support surface (52) for the floor element (20) and a projection (56) beyond the support surface (52). The rail element according to the invention is produced in one piece from a metal profile. The invention further relates to an industrial floor system (10), comprising at least one such rail element (18) and at least one connecting element (24), by which the rail element (18) is fastened to a substructure (12), wherein the connecting element (24) can be fixed to the retaining region (46) and wherein the connecting element (22) supports and/or laterally encloses the retaining region (46).