Modular Entrance Floor Sections for Easier Debris Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing entrance floor systems are cumbersome, hazardous to install and maintain, and require frequent cleaning due to uneven debris accumulation and lack of modular design, leading to increased maintenance time and costs.
Innovation Solution
A modular entrance floor system comprising interchangeable floor sections with a base plate permanently coupled to the foundation and a removably attached surface plate, featuring drain features and adjustable fastening for easy maintenance and customization, allowing independent removal and replacement of surface plates without affecting adjacent sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If large gratings are used to span the entire entrance floor area, then the debris removal capacity is improved, but the installation and maintenance become hazardous and require numerous service personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The entrance floor system is divided into multiple modular grating sections that can be individually installed and maintained. Each section functions independently, allowing a single service personnel to handle installation and maintenance tasks without the hazards associated with large, cumbersome gratings spanning the entire floor area.
2Adaptability or versatility
If roll-up designs with interconnected rails are used, then the flexibility of the floor structure is improved, but the installation and maintenance problems persist due to the elongated rigid rails extending over the entire entrance floor area
Solution Approach 1:
The floor structure is segmented into modular sections with interconnected rails within each module, rather than using single elongated rails spanning the entire area. This allows the flexible roll-up design to be maintained while reducing the size and weight of individual components to manageable levels for installation and maintenance.
3Ease of operation
If floor mats are used to provide lighter and smaller size, then the installation ease is improved, but the cleaning frequency increases due to limited debris accumulation capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The grating sections incorporate open porous structures with gaps between rails that allow debris to fall through to the floor below. This design maintains the lightweight and easy installation characteristics of floor mats while significantly increasing debris accumulation capacity through the three-dimensional grating structure, reducing cleaning frequency.
4Quantity of substance
If the entire floor area is removed to collect debris, then the debris collection is thorough, but the maintenance time and costs increase due to the complexity of removing and reinstalling the entire floor
Solution Approach 1:
The modular grating sections can be individually removed and reinstalled, allowing debris collection in specific high-traffic areas without the need to remove the entire floor. This segmentation maintains thorough debris collection capability while significantly reducing maintenance time and complexity by limiting work to only the necessary sections.
5Strength
If the entrance floor lacks sufficient fall-through area, then the structural integrity is improved, but water and debris retention increases creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The grating sections incorporate open porous structures with strategically positioned gaps between rails that provide sufficient fall-through area for water and debris to pass through to the floor below. The porous design maintains structural integrity through the rigid grating material and configuration while eliminating water and debris retention that creates safety hazards.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular entrance floor system comprising a plurality of floor sections, the plurality of floor sections being disposed adjacent each other and defining a perimeter of an entrance floor area. Each floor section includes a base plate permanently coupled to a foundation, and a surface plate removably attached to the base plate. The surface plate has at least one drain feature. The plurality of floor sections are configured such that the surface plate of a first floor section is interchangeable with the surface plate of a second floor section, independent of the adjacent floor sections.