Interlocking Permeable Sandbag Containers for Lateral Resistance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stackable sandbag structures lack significant lateral resistance to external forces and do not effectively utilize liquid flow to enhance stability, as they are made of nonporous materials that prevent water infiltration and lack frictional resistance between bags.

Innovation Solution

The design includes interlocking containers with permeable sides that allow water infiltration and non-permeable cavities filled with materials that increase weight and frictional resistance, featuring protrusions and recesses for interlocking and a coating to enhance frictional resistance between layers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If nonporous material is used for the bags, then the bags maintain structural integrity, but lateral resistance to external forces is significantly reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidlateral resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies porous material by making the bag material permeable to water, allowing water to flow through and saturate the aggregate inside. This permeability enables the aggregate to become saturated and provide lateral resistance through friction and interlocking, while the porous structure itself does not compromise the overall structural integrity of the bagged system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by combining the bag material with aggregate (such as gravel or concrete) inside the bags. This composite structure allows the bag to contain and protect the aggregate while the aggregate provides weight and frictional resistance, creating a system where the combination of materials achieves both structural integrity and lateral resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If nonporous material is used for the bags, then the bags are simpler to manufacture, but water flow into the material is prevented, reducing lateral resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidlateral resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Reliability

If protrusions and recesses are added for interlocking, then lateral resistance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral resistanceVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the bag into distinct geometric components with protrusions and recesses. These segmented features create interlocking mechanisms between adjacent bags, improving lateral resistance while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes for each individual bag component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple functions into the bag structure: the protrusions and recesses simultaneously provide interlocking for lateral resistance, define the geometric shape for stacking, and create friction surfaces. This combining of functions reduces the need for separate interlocking components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 significantly increases lateral resistance by allowing water to saturate and hydrate the fill material, increasing its weight and frictional resistance, while the interlocking mechanism and coatings enhance the structure's ability to resist external forces, potentially requiring fewer containers for equivalent resistance compared to conventional systems.

Implementation Method 1

The side part is permeable to water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Implementation Method 2

The interlocking mechanism and coatings enhance the structure's ability to resist external forces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

allowing water to saturate and hydrate the fill material, increasing its weight and frictional resistance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS9869068B2Structure including interlocking containers

Publication Date: 2018.01.16 WARSTONE INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

A container is disclosed. The container has a side part, an upper part, a lower part, and a cavity formed by the side part, the upper part, and the lower part. The container also has a material disposed in the cavity. The side part has at least one protrusion and at least one recess. The side part is permeable to water. The side part is also nonpermeable to the material disposed in the cavity.