Interlocking Connection Surface for Structural Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Structural units, such as pavers and retaining wall blocks, often experience surface rubbing or scuffing during handling and assembly, leading to wear and misalignment, which can result in instability and increased packaging size due to mismatched surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of connection surfaces with three-dimensional profiles featuring positive and negative features that nest when facing each other, allowing for interlocking and stable assembly while minimizing surface contact, thereby reducing wear and enabling more efficient handling and packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If structural units are handled and assembled with conventional flat surfaces, then handling and assembly are simple, but surface rubbing and scuffing occur leading to wear and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The connection surface features nested positive and negative surface features that interlock when structural units are assembled. The positive features protrude from the surface while negative features recess into the surface, creating a nested configuration that prevents surface rubbing and misalignment during handling and assembly.
2Ease of operation
If structural units have flat surfaces for assembly, then assembly is straightforward, but misalignment occurs resulting in instability
Solution Approach 1:
The connection surface employs asymmetric positive and negative features with specific geometries that provide directional guidance during assembly. The asymmetric shapes ensure proper orientation and alignment of structural units, preventing misalignment while maintaining ease of assembly through the self-aligning nature of the interlocking features.
3Productivity
If structural units have mismatched surfaces, then handling is simple, but packaging size increases due to poor nesting
Solution Approach 1:
The complementary positive and negative surface features enable structural units to nest tightly together during packaging and storage. The interlocking configuration allows units to fit into each other's contours, maximizing space utilization and reducing overall packaging volume while maintaining handling efficiency.
4Strength
If connection surfaces have extensive surface contact, then interlocking strength is high, but surface rubbing and wear increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection surface divides the contact area into discrete positive and negative features rather than providing continuous surface contact. This segmentation concentrates interlocking strength at specific points while minimizing overall surface contact area, thereby reducing friction and wear during assembly and handling.
Data Source
AI summary
A connection surface disposed on a face of a structural unit comprises a first segment having a three dimensional surface profile including a plurality of positive outer surfaces extending outwardly along a normal direction from a plane and a plurality of negative outer surfaces extending inwardly along the normal direction from the plane, wherein at least two of the plurality of positive outer surfaces are separated from one another along both vertical and horizontal directions and at least two of the plurality of negative outer surfaces are separated from one another along vertical and horizontal directions. A second segment opposes the first segment with respect to an axis, wherein the second segment is a substantial reflection of the first segment across the axis, but reversed along the normal direction.