Masonry Block Leveling Pads for Load Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Concrete retaining wall blocks experience uneven loading and potential structural integrity issues due to loose dirt and debris accumulating between courses, causing vertical cracks or breakage.

Innovation Solution

Masonry blocks with integral leveling pads that create a gap between courses, allowing for vertical alignment and distribution of loads through a 3-point loading system, reducing uneven loading and pressure points.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If blocks are stacked directly on top of one another, then assembly is simple and fast, but uneven loading and point loads cause vertical cracks and compromise structural integrity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly speedVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Leveling pads are introduced as intermediary elements between the bottom surface of each block and the top surface of the block below. These pads create a controlled gap that allows debris to be excluded while maintaining contact between courses. The pads are positioned to align vertically across courses, creating a 3-point loading system that distributes loads evenly and prevents point loads from causing cracks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If leveling pads are added to distribute loads, then load distribution improves and structural integrity increases, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidblock structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The leveling pads are merged with the blocks themselves, forming an integral part of the block structure. The pads are formed as part of the block molding process, eliminating the need for separate components or assembly steps. This integration maintains structural simplicity while achieving the load distribution function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If gaps are created between courses using leveling pads, then debris is excluded and load distribution improves, but contact between courses is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload distributionVSAvoidcontact between courses

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The leveling pads are designed with specific local qualities: they are positioned at critical locations (typically three points per block) to create a 3-point loading system. The pads are sized and positioned to maintain adequate contact for load transfer while creating sufficient gap space to exclude debris. The local geometry of the pads is optimized to balance contact maintenance with debris exclusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8297887B2Masonry block with leveling pads

Publication Date: 2012.10.30 NESS INVENTIONS INC

AI summary

A block having a top surface, a bottom surface opposing the top surface, a front surface, a rear surface opposing the front surface, the front and rear surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces, a first side surface, a second side surface opposing the first side surface, the first and second side surfaces extending between the front and rear surfaces, and a set of at least three leveling pads extending from the rear surface.