Load Rack Collision Guard for Fire-Sprinkler Clearance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load racks face challenges in protecting fire extinguishing systems from collision damage without compromising their functionality or increasing structural height, leading to operational safety risks and unnecessary costs.
Innovation Solution
A collision protection device with an elongated main body and fastening sections is attached to the load rack frame, featuring angled legs to absorb impact loads and prevent damage to the fire extinguishing system, allowing for easy replacement and retrofitting, while maintaining the spray pattern clearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the spray head protrudes into the compartment to avoid spray obstruction, then the spray function is improved, but the spray head becomes vulnerable to impact damage
Solution Approach 1:
A protective device is introduced as an intermediary element between the spray head and the compartment interior. This protective structure absorbs impact loads from stored goods or industrial trucks, preventing direct damage to the spray head while allowing the spray head to maintain its protruding position for optimal spray coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective device is installed in advance before any impact can occur to the spray head. It serves as a pre-positioned cushioning element that deflects or absorbs impact forces from stored goods or industrial trucks, protecting the spray head from damage before the impact reaches the vulnerable component.
2Strength
If the frame is made more stable to resist impact, then the structural strength is improved, but the material requirements and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The impact protection function is extracted from the main frame structure and implemented as a separate, dedicated protective device. This allows the frame to maintain its original design and material requirements while the protective device specifically handles impact loads, avoiding the need to over-engineer the entire frame structure for impact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective device is designed as a cost-effective, replaceable component that can absorb impact damage instead of the expensive frame structure. If damaged, only this relatively inexpensive protective element needs replacement rather than the entire frame or spray head assembly, reducing overall system costs.
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 device effectively protects the fire extinguishing system from collisions, reduces the risk of operational failure, and minimizes space requirements, thereby maintaining the system's functionality and reducing material costs.
Implementation Method 1
absorbs any impact load acting on the collision protection device in a collision situation and transmits it across a large area into the frame
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A collision protection device (1; 1M) for a load rack (4), comprising an elongated main body (2) and a fastening section (3) at each end of the main body (2) in its longitudinal direction, wherein the fastening section (3) is adapted to be attached to a frame (40) of the load rack (4) such that an inner surface (3A) of the fastening section (3) touches the frame (40).The main body (2) has a thin-walled cross-section with a contact section (20) having a predetermined surface (20A) aligned parallel to the inner surface (3A) of the fastening section (3) and a surface defined as a contact area (20B) opposite the predetermined surface (20A), wherein the contact section (20) has a first longitudinal edge (20C) and a second longitudinal edge (20D) extending between the fastening sections (3), a first leg (22) angled at the first longitudinal edge (20C) of the contact section (20), and a second leg (24) angled at the second longitudinal edge (20D) of the contact section (20). A first angle (α) between the contact section (20) and the first leg (22) is 90° and a second angle (β) between the contact section (20) and the second leg (24) is less than 90°.