Modular Wall Sections with Integrated Utilities and Dovetail Connections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional building construction methods are labor-intensive and costly due to the need for cutting and securing lumber, drilling holes for electrical and plumbing connections, and installing wiring and conduits, which slows down the construction process and increases costs.

Innovation Solution

Modular wall sections with tapered dovetail connections for easy assembly, pre-installed electrical and plumbing pathways, exothermic chemical reactions for instant connections, earthquake and hurricane hold-downs, and GPS technology for precise placement, eliminating the need for secondary tools and manual labor in installing utilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional construction methods are used with cutting and securing lumber, then structural integrity can be achieved, but construction time and labor costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidconstruction speed

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The building structure is divided into modular wall sections that are pre-fabricated off-site and then assembled on-location. Each wall section is a self-contained module with standardized dimensions and pre-integrated utilities, allowing parallel production and rapid assembly without traditional on-site lumber cutting and securing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

All structural components, electrical pathways, and plumbing connections are pre-installed and pre-tested during off-site manufacturing before the wall sections are shipped to the construction site. This preliminary action eliminates time-consuming on-site installation work and ensures quality control is achieved during controlled manufacturing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional methods are used for installing electrical and plumbing connections, then functional requirements are met, but labor intensity and construction time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidconstruction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Electrical conduits, wiring pathways, and plumbing pipes are integrated into the wall section framework during manufacturing. The electrical and plumbing systems are merged with the structural components into a unified assembly, eliminating the need for separate installation steps and reducing on-site labor requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The wall sections are designed with self-aligning connection features that automatically position electrical and plumbing components correctly during assembly. Connection interfaces include built-in alignment guides and positioning mechanisms that eliminate the need for manual measurement and adjustment, allowing workers to simply connect pre-positioned components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If custom-built houses are constructed with traditional methods, then customization is achieved, but cost and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization capabilityVSAvoidconstruction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wall sections are designed with standardized connection interfaces and modular dimensions that can be configured in multiple arrangements. The same basic module type can serve different functional purposes (walls, partitions, utility-bearing sections) depending on how they are assembled, allowing customization through configuration rather than through custom manufacturing of each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The modular wall system significantly reduces construction time and costs by allowing quick assembly of pre-fabricated walls with integrated electrical and plumbing connections, ensuring secure and efficient installation without the need for extensive labor or tools, while maintaining structural integrity and precision.

Implementation Method 1

exothermic chemical reactions for instant connections

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectExothermic chemical reaction: Exothermic Reaction

Data Source

PatentUS11585091B2Modular wall sections with electrical, plumbing and structural ground connectors

Publication Date: 2023.02.21 MW ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

Improvements in pre-fabricated modular wall sections to construct a building or house is disclosed. Adjacent side of the wall sections are tapered and dovetailed that lock-in-place. The dovetails are spaced to reduce the height that one section must be lifted to engage in an adjoining wall section. The footers/base plate will also have integrated earthquake or hurricane hold-downs in the footer/base plate that aligns and can be secured from the foundation to the wall sections. The connection of the wall section to the foundation to have counter flashing at the concrete insert and the wall-to-wall sections can be self-flashed. The wall sections can have GPS locators for positioning the wall sections. Plumbing and electrical conduit creating circuits that can be integrated into the walls and are connected sealed or bonded together.