Plastic Cuboid Construction Elements With Self-Aligning Connectors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The construction of buildings often requires specialized knowledge and equipment, leading to high costs and limited involvement of private individuals, with conventional building materials being expensive and inflexible for repairs and extensions, lacking a simple and intuitive method for arranging and fixing components.
Innovation Solution
A box-shaped component made of partially plastic material with complementary male and female connecting elements, allowing for easy alignment and fixation without additional equipment, featuring insulating and noise-reducing properties, and accommodating cables and pipes, with a system comprising connecting elements for stable assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional building materials and methods are used, then structural strength and stability are ensured, but construction costs increase and flexibility for private individuals decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The building structure is divided into modular components (wall elements, floor elements, roof elements) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each module contains integrated connecting elements that enable simple assembly without specialized equipment or expertise, allowing private individuals to participate in construction while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular components are designed with universal connecting elements that serve multiple functions: structural connection, alignment guidance, and locking mechanism. The male-female connecting element system provides form-fitting connections that simultaneously achieve structural strength and ease of assembly, eliminating the need for separate fastening operations.
2Ease of operation
If conventional building materials are used, then load-bearing capacity is sufficient, but the complexity of arrangement and alignment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting elements employ asymmetric male-female geometry where the male element has a specific shape that complements the female element's recess. This asymmetric design provides built-in alignment guidance, ensuring that components can only be assembled in the correct orientation, thereby simplifying the arrangement process and eliminating the need for specialized alignment knowledge.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular components are designed with self-aligning and self-locking features. The form-fitting male-female connecting elements automatically guide the components into proper alignment during assembly and provide inherent structural stability without requiring external alignment tools or specialized knowledge for installation.
3Productivity
If traditional construction methods are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but the time and equipment required for assembly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting elements integrate multiple functions into a single component: the male-female form-fitting connection combines structural joining, alignment guidance, and locking mechanisms. This merged design eliminates the need for separate fasteners, welding equipment, or specialized assembly tools, enabling rapid assembly by private individuals while maintaining structural integrity.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional building materials are used, then durability is ensured, but the cost of materials and services becomes prohibitive
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting elements are designed with optimized geometric parameters that maximize connection strength while minimizing material usage. The form-fitting male-female geometry provides high structural reliability through distributed stress areas and interlocking shapes, achieving durable connections at lower material costs compared to conventional metal fastening systems.
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
Enables cost-effective, flexible, and user-friendly construction and repair of buildings, reducing material costs and allowing for easy arrangement and fixation of components, while providing insulation and accommodating utilities.
Implementation Method 1
The male connecting element and female connecting element are shaped to complement each other. Shaped complementary to each other defines in this context an at least partially form-fitting connection possibility of the elements shaped complementary to each other.
Implementation Method 2
The component can include fire protection, thermal insulation and/or noise insulation materials. The trapped air inside the component also has an insulating effect.
Implementation Method 3
The component can include fire protection, thermal insulation and/or noise insulation materials.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a substantially cuboid construction element (101, 102) made of plastic for use as a construction material. The construction element (101, 102) comprises four side surfaces (21, 22, 23, 24) which are vertically oriented when the construction element (101, 102) is in an installation position (11). The side surfaces (21, 22, 23, 24) each have at least one receiving structure (3). The upper side (4) of the construction element (101, 102), in the installation position (11), has at least one male connecting element or one female connecting element, and a lower side (5) of the construction element has at least the other male connecting element (6) or female connecting element (7). The male connecting element (6) and female connecting element (7) are shaped so as to be complementary to one another.