Interlocking Rubber Slab Pads for Stable Deck Installation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deck slab pads lack full contact with the slabs, require joints that deteriorate over time, and fail to stabilize the slabs, leading to sliding and unsightly discoloration.
Innovation Solution
A square pad divided into four sections with linear protrusions, tongues, and pockets, and grooves, made of rubber with polymer adhesive, providing full contact and stabilization, and featuring drainage holes to prevent sliding and eliminate the need for joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional pads with point-like protrusions are used, then the pad structure is simple, but the contact area between the pad and the slab is small
Solution Approach 1:
The pad is divided into four identical sections, each with linear protrusions that extend from the center toward the edges. This segmentation increases the contact area with the slab while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through modular repetition.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions are changed from point-like (zero-dimensional) to linear (one-dimensional) forms that extend across the pad surface. This dimensional change significantly increases the contact area between the pad and slab without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
2Reliability
If joints are made between slabs after laying, then the slabs can be connected, but the joints deteriorate over time and become unsightly
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between slabs is established during the laying process itself through the interlocking tongue-and-pocket system, rather than requiring subsequent jointing operations. This preliminary action ensures reliable connection from the start and eliminates the deterioration problem associated with later joint application.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection function is merged into the pad structure itself through the tongue-and-pocket interlocking system, eliminating the need for separate joints. This integration ensures that the connection is part of the original installation and does not deteriorate independently over time.
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional pads without inter-pad connections are used, then the pad installation is simple, but the slabs can slide apart and are not stabilized
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into repeating tongue-and-pocket units at the edges of each pad section. This modular approach provides stable inter-pad connections while maintaining simplicity through repetition of the same connection element.
Solution Approach 2:
The tongue-and-pocket connection creates an asymmetric interlocking system where the tongue of one pad fits into the pocket of the adjacent pad. This asymmetric design provides directional stability to prevent slab sliding while keeping the connection mechanism relatively simple.
4Reliability
If pads without drainage features are used, then the pad structure is simpler, but water accumulates under the slabs causing deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The pad incorporates through-holes that create a porous drainage pathway system, allowing water to pass through the pad structure. This porous design provides effective drainage while adding minimal complexity to the overall pad structure.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A pad for building slabs is in the form of a square slab and is divided into four analogous sections (1), (2), (3) and (4) and each section is formed by four linear protrusions (5) on the top surface of the pad running from the center of each edge and converge in the center of the pad, and on each of the two side edges of sections (1), (2), (3) and (4) there is a trapezoidal tongue (1a), (1aa), (2a), (2aa), (3a), (3aa), (4a) and (4aa) respectively with a base narrower than the rest of the tongue and a pocket (1b), (1bb), (2b), (2bb), (3b), (3bb), (4b) and (4bb) respectively corresponding in shape to the tongues, whereas two tongues and two pockets are alternately arranged on each side edge of the pad, furthermore on the top surface of the pad there are linear top grooves (6) running from the corners of the pad and converging in the center of the pad, and on the bottom of the pad there are four linear bottom grooves (7) running from the center of each edge to the center of the adjacent edge to form a square shape, and the pad has at least one hole (8) in each section, whereas the pad is made of rubber material bonded with polymer glue.