Modular Slide Assembly With Grooved Side Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional single-piece slides for recreational structures require significant space for shipping, offer limited design options due to uniform material and color, and necessitate full replacement if damaged, leading to high replacement costs for small defects.
Innovation Solution
A modular slide assembly composed of multiple component parts, including elongated side rails with internal grooves and a slide bed that can be secured to these rails, allowing for efficient storage, flexible design, and partial replacement of damaged sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a slide is constructed as a single piece, then structural integrity is improved, but shipping space requirements increase and replacement cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is divided into multiple separable components including a slide bed, side rails, and support legs. These components can be shipped separately and assembled on-site, significantly reducing shipping space requirements while maintaining structural integrity through proper connection mechanisms.
2Ease of manufacture
If a slide is constructed as a single piece, then assembly simplicity is improved, but design flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The slide components can be manufactured separately with different materials, colors, and designs, then assembled together. This allows for greater design flexibility and customization options while keeping the assembly process relatively simple through standardized connection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular components are designed with universal connection features that allow them to be assembled in various configurations. The side rails can accommodate different slide bed designs, and support legs can be positioned at different locations, enabling multiple design variations from the same component set.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a slide is constructed as a single piece, then structural stability is improved, but replacement cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is divided into replaceable components such as the slide bed, side rails, and support legs. If one component becomes damaged or worn, only that specific component needs to be replaced rather than the entire slide, significantly reducing replacement costs while maintaining structural stability through proper reassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Individual slide components can be discarded when damaged and replaced with new ones, while the remaining undamaged components are retained and reused. This extends the overall lifecycle of the slide structure and reduces waste by recovering functional components.
4Ease of operation
If a slide is constructed as a single piece, then material uniformity is improved, but shipping efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The slide components are designed to be manufactured separately using uniform materials for each component type, maintaining material consistency and quality control. The components are then packaged separately for efficient shipping, with empty space minimized by packaging each component in its own compact configuration.
Data Source
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AI summary
A slide assembly and method of assembling a slide assembly are disclosed for use in conjunction with a recreation structure. The slide assembly includes a pair of side rails with internal grooves along lengths thereof and a slide bed located between the side rails with side margins thereof received within the grooves of the side rails. The slide assembly also includes reinforcements extending between the side rails underneath the slide bed, with ends of each reinforcement received within a recess in each of the side rails. Fasteners, such as screws, selectively secure side margin portions of the slide bed and ends of each reinforcement to each of the side rails. The method of assembling a slide assembly includes inserting each side margin of a slide bed into grooves of the side rails and attaching the slide bed and side rails to a recreation structure.