MEP Connection Plates With Alignment Guides for Prefab Utility Risers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Site contractors face challenges in accurately pricing and efficiently assembling mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems in prefabricated buildings due to misalignment issues and reliance on specialized labor, leading to increased costs and reduced cost savings in prefabricated construction.
Innovation Solution
A system for pre-installing MEP vertical risers in the factory with alignment pins, telescoping pipes, and connection plates that allow for rapid assembly by unskilled labor using a movable plate that ensures alignment and sealing, and a lock-out mechanism to withstand pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If MEP vertical and horizontal runs are pre-installed in the factory, then the scope of work for site contractors is reduced, but misalignment occurs after modules are set by crane due to tolerance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-installing MEP vertical runs in the walls or shafts of modules during factory manufacturing. This allows the bulk of MEP work to be completed beforehand, reducing site contractor scope to only connecting existing pipes and ducts, while the connection design anticipates tolerance variations through adjustable coupling mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by designing MEP connection systems that can accommodate dimensional variations. The coupling mechanisms include adjustable parameters such as telescoping sections, flexible connectors, and tolerance-compensating joint designs that adapt to misalignment caused by crane setting variations, transforming the rigid precision requirement into a flexible connection system
2Reliability
If specialized site contractors are used for MEP hook-ups, then alignment and connection quality is maintained, but cost savings from prefabricated construction are not realized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing MEP connection systems that can be installed by unskilled or semi-skilled labor without requiring specialized MEP contractors. The connection mechanisms are simplified to allow straightforward assembly through basic operations such as sliding, clamping, or bolting, enabling general laborers to perform connections that traditionally required trained tradespeople, thereby reducing labor costs while maintaining connection quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the MEP connection process into distinct modular components: factory-pre-installed vertical runs, standardized connection interfaces, and field-assembled horizontal runs. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled through simple, repeatable operations that reduce the need for specialized skills while ensuring reliable connections
3Productivity
If pre-installed MEP runs are used, then labor costs are reduced, but the cost to tear out and replace misaligned work is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating tolerance-compensating features and adjustable connection mechanisms during the design and factory installation phases. These features act as a cushion against potential misalignment, preventing the need for costly rework. Examples include telescoping pipe sections, flexible duct connectors, and adjustable mounting brackets that absorb dimensional variations before they cause connection failures
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a connection system having a fixed plate assembly and a movable plate assembly. The fixed plate assembly includes a first base plate having a female alignment guide, a pressurized fixed plate coupler, and an unpressurized fixed plate coupler. The movable plate assembly has a second base plate with a male alignment pin, at a pressurized movable plate coupler, and an unpressurized movable plate coupler. The female alignment guide receives the male alignment pin to align the two assemblies. With alignment, the second base plate slides towards and couple with the first base plate so that the pressurized fixed plate coupler couples with the pressurized movable plate coupler and seals together through insertion of a fastener between them. Further, the unpressurized fixed plate coupler couples with the unpressurized movable plate coupler and seals together through insertion of a fastener between them.