Offset Base Plate With Integrated Drainage Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing support plates fail to provide adequate drainage in water-rich soil areas, despite effective anchoring, and often require additional installation steps and materials.

Innovation Solution

A support plate design with square plate parts and offset receiving chambers featuring continuous drainage channels on all four side walls, combined with ground anchors and connecting lugs for adjacent plates, allowing drainage in multiple directions and improved load-bearing capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If support plates are anchored in the ground with sufficient anchoring, then anchoring reliability is improved, but drainage capability deteriorates in water-rich soil areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanchoring reliabilityVSAvoiddrainage capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support plate is divided into multiple receiving chambers with individual drainage openings in each chamber wall. This segmentation allows water to drain from multiple locations simultaneously, improving overall drainage capability while maintaining the anchored structure's reliability in water-rich soil conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the support plate are equipped with drainage openings at strategically located positions on the chamber walls. This local quality enhancement ensures that drainage occurs at specific critical points where water accumulation is most problematic, resolving the contradiction between anchoring stability and drainage efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-generated harmful factors

If drainage openings are added to support plates, then drainage capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrainage capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drainage openings are integrated directly into the chamber walls during the manufacturing process, merging the drainage function with the structural walls themselves. This eliminates the need for separate drainage components, reducing device complexity while maintaining improved drainage capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The chamber walls serve dual functions: providing structural support for the receiving chambers and simultaneously acting as drainage conduits through integrated openings. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, resolving the contradiction between drainage capability and device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Area of moving object

If receiving chambers are arranged in offset rows and columns, then planting space is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplanting spaceVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The offset arrangement of receiving chambers is pre-planned and built into the mold design during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures that the complex offset pattern is achieved with standard manufacturing tolerances, avoiding the need for high-precision post-manufacturing adjustments while maximizing planting space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If support plates are designed for stable anchoring in loose soil, then anchoring reliability is improved, but resistance to plate shifting under load deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanchoring reliabilityVSAvoidresistance to plate shifting
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support plate design incorporates both vertical anchoring elements (ground anchors extending downward) and horizontal interlocking features (connecting lugs and receptacles). This multi-dimensional approach provides stable anchoring in loose soil while simultaneously preventing horizontal shifting under vehicle loads, resolving the contradiction between anchoring reliability and shift resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Ensures optimal drainage and load-bearing capacity while allowing grass growth, with enhanced anchoring in loose soils and reduced installation complexity, preventing plate shifting under vehicle load.

Implementation Method 1

Part of the side walls are designed as ground anchors

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

Part of the side walls are designed as ground anchors

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical interlocking: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 3

All four side walls of the receiving chambers are provided with openings that form continuous drainage channels with the openings in a row and/or a column. Water from the soil can then drain out of the anchored soil of the deck.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 4

The outer sides of the support plate are provided with means for connecting adjacent support plates of the same design

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical fastening: Mechanical Fastener

Data Source

PatentEP2452018B1Base plate comprising square plate parts and receiving chambers arranged in rows and columns and offset from each other
Publication Date: 2017.09.27 STABLER KARL
  • EP2452018B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2452018B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2452018B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a base plate comprising square plate parts and receiving chambers arranged in rows and columns and offset from each other. Toward the underside, the receiving chambers have side walls of equal height and are closed off with a bottom. Some of the side walls are designed as ground anchors, and the outer sides of the base plate are provided with means for connecting adjacent base plates of equal designs. Positive anchoring with sufficient drainage when installing the base plate in soil having a high water content is assured by providing at least some of the side walls of the receiving chambers with break-throughs, which together with the break-throughs of a row and/or column of receiving chambers form a continuous drainage channel.