Modular Flared Utility Vault for Stable Lightweight Installation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Concrete utility vaults are heavy, cumbersome, and lack flexibility in design, leading to space constraints and instability, while plastic vaults lack the stability and stacking benefits of concrete.
Innovation Solution
A folding, flared utility vault with optional extension sections, featuring a base box and extension box connected by hinges, allowing for increased interior space and stability through a flared bottom design and modular expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If concrete utility vaults are used, then stability and stacking benefits are achieved, but weight and transportation cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The utility vault is divided into multiple modular panels that can be assembled together. Each panel is a separate component that can be transported independently and then joined to form the complete vault structure, reducing the weight burden on any single transportation event while maintaining overall stability through modular assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The vault employs composite construction combining rigid structural elements for stability with lighter materials where appropriate. The design integrates different material properties to achieve both the stability of concrete and the reduced weight of plastic or composite materials, creating a hybrid structure that balances these competing requirements
2Weight of moving object
If plastic or composite utility vaults are used, then weight and transportation cost are reduced, but stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vault is segmented into multiple panels that work together to distribute and share structural loads. This segmentation allows lighter plastic or composite panels to achieve collective stability through their interconnections, compensating for the lower individual panel strength compared to concrete
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple panels are merged through joining mechanisms to form a unified structural system. The combined assembly achieves stability that individual lighter panels cannot provide alone, creating a cooperative structural system where the whole is stronger than the sum of its parts
3Ease of manufacture
If concrete utility vaults with straight and rigid side walls are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but packaging and future equipment accommodation become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The vault is divided into modular panels that can be configured in different arrangements. This segmentation enables flexible packaging during transportation and allows the structure to be adapted to accommodate various future equipment additions by reconfiguring or adding panels as needed
Solution Approach 2:
The vault design incorporates dynamic adaptability through its modular panel system, allowing the structure to evolve and change configuration over time. Panels can be added, removed, or repositioned to accommodate changing equipment requirements, making the vault adaptable rather than static
4Volume of stationary object
If concrete utility vaults are used, then interior space is sufficient for current equipment, but space for future equipment is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The vault's modular panel construction allows for easy expansion by adding additional panels to increase interior volume. The segmented design enables the space to be divided into functional zones and expanded in a systematic manner as equipment requirements grow
Solution Approach 2:
The vault design allows for expansion in multiple dimensions through the addition of panels. The modular system enables vertical stacking, horizontal extension, or multi-level configurations, providing three-dimensional growth capacity to accommodate future equipment needs
Data Source
AI summary
A folding, flared utility vault or enclosure that may be used to protect public utility valves, electrical cables, switches, fiber optic cables, or the like is provided. The system generally comprises a base box having a front panel, back panel, and side panels. Alternative embodiments may further comprise an extension box having a front extension panel, back extension panel, and side extension panels. The various panels of the base box and extension box may have flared bottoms that prevent removal after installation. Additionally, a user may attach extension boxes to the base box to increase the amount of storage area within the system.