Interlocking Plastic Panel Mats for Temporary Walkways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wood mats for equipment support surfaces and temporary walkways deteriorate due to moisture, requiring frequent replacement and heavy equipment for installation, and are not cost-effective alternatives.
Innovation Solution
Development of lightweight, reusable panel mats made of plastic or elastomeric material with interlocking sides and a structured surface for improved durability and ease of installation, featuring tabular extensions and recesses for snap-locking and drainage channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wood mats are used for equipment support surfaces and temporary walkways, then they provide useful service at a reasonable cost, but the wood core deteriorates over time due to moisture causing gradual rotting and degradation, requiring frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure with a plastic or elastomeric core material that is inherently resistant to moisture deterioration, combined with interlocking side structures. This composite approach eliminates the rotting problem of wood while maintaining structural integrity and load-bearing capacity for equipment support surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter from organic wood to synthetic plastic or elastomeric materials, which fundamentally alters the material's resistance to moisture. This parameter change transforms the material's chemical and physical properties to resist degradation from water exposure, thereby extending service life.
2Ease of operation
If conventional wood mats are used, then they provide equipment support functionality, but they require heavy equipment for installation due to their weight and bulk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the mat into modular panels with standardized dimensions and interlocking side structures. This segmentation allows the mats to be transported and installed in manageable sections without requiring heavy equipment, while still providing continuous equipment support surfaces when assembled together.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different properties to different parts of the mat structure: the core material provides lightweight strength, while the side structures provide interlocking functionality. This local differentiation of material properties optimizes both weight reduction and installation ease without compromising overall structural integrity.
3Reliability
If wood mats are replaced with alternative materials to improve durability and reduce weight, then service life and ease of installation improve, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs cost-effective plastic or elastomeric materials that, while more durable than wood, remain economically viable through standardized manufacturing processes. The modular panel design allows for efficient production and assembly, keeping overall system costs reasonable despite improved material durability.
Data Source
AI summary
A lightweight universal panel mat (100, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 1100, 1500, 1800, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020) made of plastic or elastomeric material and having a first section that provides a relatively flat, textured or structured top surface to facilitate movement over the mat and a second section having geometry that includes a plurality of cells having top surfaces that support the first section. The panel mats have first, second, third and fourth sides (110,120,135,145) that are configured to matingly engage or connect to the second, third, fourth and first sides, respectively. The connection can be by insertion or snap-locking of one side to another, or by the use of fastening elements that more securely holds the sides together. Thus, similarly configured panel mats can be connected by interlocking to form a temporary support surface, deck, walkway or roadway. Additional side ramps (2030) and adapters (2050) can be used to facilitate installation of the mats (2005, 2010, 2015, 2020) and access to the upper surfaces of the joined mats.