Pallet Elongated Support Element Resists Platform Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pallets made from materials weak against tensile stress often fail to maintain stiffness and mechanical strength, especially when not fully supported, leading to platform bending and potential buckling.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating elongated flexible support elements between the pallet's edge areas and foot sections, which form a closed loop and increase tensile stress in response to bending, providing additional stiffness and resisting downward arching forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a pallet is made of materials weak against tensile stress, then the pallet is economical, but the pallet lacks sufficient stiffness and mechanical strength
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet combines materials with different mechanical properties: compression-resistant materials (such as wood or plastic) for the platform section and foot sections, and tension-resistant materials (such as steel cables or straps) for the elongated support elements. This composite structure allows the pallet to achieve both economic cost and sufficient stiffness by using each material where it excels.
2Adaptability or versatility
If foot sections are not fully supported on a floor or shelving system, then the pallet can be used on uneven or partially supported surfaces, but the platform section bends downwards due to arching forces
Solution Approach 1:
The elongated support elements are pre-installed in a tensioned state between the platform section and foot sections before the pallet is placed on the supporting surface. This preliminary tensile action creates a pre-compression effect on the platform section that counteracts the downward arching forces that would otherwise cause bending when foot sections are not fully supported.
3Strength
If the pallet structure is strengthened to resist bending, then the pallet gains sufficient stiffness, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elongated support elements use flexible tension-resistant elements (such as cables, straps, or thin bands) rather than rigid structural components. These flexible elements can be easily installed and adjusted, providing the necessary stiffness against bending without requiring complex rigid structural additions. The flexibility also allows them to accommodate minor variations in the pallet structure and supporting surfaces.
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
Enhances the pallet's stiffness and mechanical strength by distributing tensile stress effectively, preventing platform bending and improving load handling on uneven or partially supported surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
connections for receiving tensile stress acting on the elongated support element, and the tensile stress of the elongated support element is increased in response to downwards arching bending of the platform section
Data Source
Figure 1a~1d
Figure 1e~1f
Figure 2
AI summary
A pallet (100) comprises a platform section (101) and foot sections (103-107) protruding downwards from the platform section. The pallet comprises at least one elongated support element (108) between opposite edge areas of the pallet and going via a lower portion of a foot section (107) that is between and distances away from the opposite edge areas of the pallet. The elongated support element is connected to the opposite edge areas of the pallet with connections (109, 110) for receiving tensile stress acting on the elongated support element. The tensile stress of the elongated support element is increased in response to downwards arching bending of the platform section. Thus, the elongated support element tends to prevent the bending of the platform section.