Pallet Rack Grating with Press-Fit Cross Members for Lower Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gratings for pallet and heavy-duty racks are heavy, expensive, and require costly monitoring of welding parameters during production to ensure structural stability and load-carrying capacity, which can lead to weld failures if not properly managed.
Innovation Solution
The grating design features longitudinal sides with orthogonal legs and open-profile cross members, where the legs are inserted into punched recesses with deformations for vertical and horizontal fixation, reducing weight and material costs while maintaining stability through a combination of press-fit and form-fitting connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If solid steel longitudinal and cross bars are used to ensure high load-carrying capacity, then the load-carrying capacity is improved, but the dead weight of the grating increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hollow profile bars instead of solid steel bars. The hollow profiles maintain structural strength while significantly reducing material usage and dead weight. The wall thickness of the hollow profiles is optimized to provide sufficient load-carrying capacity without the excessive weight of solid sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The grating combines hollow profile bars with a lattice structure formed by transverse and longitudinal bars. This composite arrangement creates a lightweight yet strong framework that distributes loads efficiently across the entire grating structure, reducing the need for heavy individual components.
2Weight of moving object
If hollow profile bars are used to reduce weight, then the dead weight is reduced, but the structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The grating is divided into a lattice structure with multiple transverse and longitudinal bars that work together to provide structural stability. This segmentation distributes stresses and loads across multiple elements, preventing failure of any single component and maintaining overall stability despite using lighter hollow profiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow profile bars have optimized curved cross-sections that provide higher moment of inertia and bending resistance compared to straight rectangular sections of equivalent weight. This curvature enhances structural stability while maintaining the weight reduction benefits of hollow profiles.
3Strength
If welding is used to join longitudinal sides and cross members, then the load-carrying capacity is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to continuous monitoring requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces welding with a mechanical insertion system where hollow profile bars are inserted into receptacles of the lattice structure. This mechanical connection method eliminates the need for complex welding parameter monitoring while maintaining sufficient structural strength through friction and geometric interlocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow profile bars are designed to self-lock within the lattice structure through their insertion into receptacles. The geometry of the profiles and receptacles creates automatic mechanical interlocking that provides stable connections without requiring external monitoring or control systems during assembly.
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
This design achieves a high load-carrying capacity with significantly reduced weight and material costs, ensuring structural stability and allowing for easy passage of extinguishing agents in case of a fire, while minimizing the need for continuous welding parameter monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
the first leg of the profile is inserted or pressed into each of the punched recesses, thereby vertical fixation of the profile with the cross member is achieved
Implementation Method 2
the first leg of the profile has at least one deformation, wherein the at least one deformation is an impression, thereby horizontal fixation of the plug-in or press-fit connection of the cross member with the profile is achieved
Data Source
AI summary
A grating for use as shelves for pallet racks or heavy-duty racks, having two longitudinal sides and cross members fitted between the longitudinal sides. The, longitudinal sides are in the shape of a profile in cross section. The profile includes at least a first leg and a second leg arranged substantially orthogonal to the first leg. At least two of the cross members have an open profile, in particular a U- or L-shaped profile in cross section, the open end of which is oriented towards the underside of the grating. Each of these cross members has at least two punched recesses at each end. The first leg of the profile is arranged in each punched recess and is firmly connected thereto via a form- or force-fitting connection method. The first leg of the profile has at least one deformation.