Polymer Foam Hatch Door Covering with Molding Flange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Marine carpet used on boat decks is prone to water absorption, mold growth, and wear, and polymer foam sheets are unsuitable for wrapping around hatch doors due to thickness and stiffness, necessitating a durable, easy-to-clean, and mold-resistant alternative for marine vehicle floor coverings.
Innovation Solution
A method of forming a polymer foam covering for hatch doors, involving heating a mold with a male and female component to create a central portion and flange, allowing the covering to be wrapped around the hatch door, with the flange secured to the sidewall and arcuate corners, using a polymer foam sheet that can be machined to fit the mold's depression and cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If marine carpet is used as floor covering, then it conforms to uneven surfaces and is easy to install, but it absorbs water, supports mold growth, and shows significant wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from absorbent marine carpet to non-absorbent polymer foam, fundamentally altering the material's interaction with water and mold while maintaining installation feasibility through the molding process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with a polymer foam core and a separate molding process that integrates the flange and central portion, combining the advantages of foam (mold resistance, cleanability) with the advantages of conformal fitting
2Reliability
If polymer foam sheets are used as floor covering, then they are easy to clean, do not support mold growth, and are cool to the touch, but they cannot be wrapped around hatch doors due to thickness and stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the polymer foam by heating it to a pliable state, temporarily altering its stiffness and thickness characteristics to enable wrapping around hatch doors, then allowing it to cool and set in the desired configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary molding of the polymer foam into a specific configuration with a central portion and flange before installation, allowing the material to be pre-formed to fit the hatch door geometry while retaining the ability to conform during the molding process
3Reliability
If a covering with flange is created to wrap around hatch door, then it can be securely mounted, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the central portion and flange into a single integrated polymer foam structure formed in one molding operation, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps while providing secure mounting capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs a universal molding process that can accommodate various hatch door configurations by adjusting the mold geometry, allowing the same basic process to produce different covering shapes and flange configurations as needed
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
The solution provides a durable, easy-to-clean, and mold-resistant marine floor covering that can be easily mounted and made in various colors and textures, effectively addressing the limitations of marine carpet and polymer foam sheets.
Implementation Method 1
heating a mold having a male component and a female component
Implementation Method 2
when the covering has cooled
Data Source
AI summary
A covering and a method of forming a covering for a hatch door or lid, e.g., the hatch door of a marine vehicle, such a boat or the like, is provided. The covering includes a central portion having a configuration corresponding to a configuration of the hatch door and a thickness. A flange projects from the central portion and has a thickness less than the thickness of the central portion. The flange movable between a first position wherein the flange lies in a first plane generally parallel to a first surface of the central portion and a second position wherein the flange is generally perpendicular to the first plane and defines a cavity in the covering for receiving the hatch door therein.