Plastic Grid Body With Undercut Grooves for Heavy Traffic Loads

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lattice bodies made of plastic have limited load capacity, making them unsuitable for heavy traffic areas, and their design does not allow for expansion or displacement in the longitudinal direction or height when joined, limiting their application.

Innovation Solution

The lattice body design features offset connecting grooves and webs on the jacket, providing a uniform wall thickness and enhanced load-bearing capacity by allowing compressive and tensile forces to be transmitted through these connections, with optional edge webs for improved load transfer at the edges, and alternate hollow chambers with and without bottoms for uniform support and moisture distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If lattice bodies are made of plastic to save weight and enable larger surface units, then handling and surface area are improved, but load capacity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of lattice bodyVSAvoidload capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The lattice body is divided into multiple hollow chambers separated by partition walls, with each chamber providing structural support. This segmentation allows the plastic structure to achieve high load capacity through distributed structural elements while maintaining lightweight construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lattice body combines plastic material with a complex structural configuration including hollow chambers, partition walls, and reinforcing elements. This composite approach enables the plastic structure to achieve strength levels comparable to concrete while maintaining the weight and handling advantages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If connecting grooves and webs are provided on both sides of the jacket to prevent displacement, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of joined lattice bodiesVSAvoidcomplexity of connecting structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting grooves and webs are positioned asymmetrically on opposite sides of the jacket, with the grooves offset from one another by the groove depth. This asymmetric arrangement creates a form-fitting connection that prevents displacement while maintaining uniform wall thickness and avoiding excessive structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Strength

If hollow chambers are provided with bottoms to increase support surface, then load bearing capacity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload bearing capacityVSAvoidease of manufacturing lattice body
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The lattice body is divided into alternating hollow chambers with and without bottoms, creating a segmented structure that provides increased support surface area for load bearing while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized chamber designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2208823B1Plantable grid body for recording traffic loads
Publication Date: 2013.07.24 PENEDER CHRISTIAN
  • EP2208823B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2208823B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2208823B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A plantable grid structure for bearing traffic loads is described, comprising a molded body (1) that includes a shell (2) and the cavity enclosed by the shell (2) divided into individual hollow chambers (3) by partition walls (4), and with openings (5) in the chamber walls. In order to be able to bear higher traffic loads even with thin-walled plastic grid structures, it is proposed that a portion of the hollow chambers (3) distributed over the base area of ​​the plastic molded body (1) has a base (6), that the shell (2) of the molded body (1) forms continuous, undercut connection grooves (8) over the height of the shell, and that corresponding connection webs (9) on opposite outer surfaces form connection ribs (9) to these undercut connection grooves (8).