Protrusion-Textured Polymeric Sheet for Wind Load Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thin, transparent polymeric sheets lack stiffness to withstand wind load stresses, such as hurricane force winds, leading to potential failure and limited design options for increased structural support without adding weight.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of protrusions with a larger diameter portion connected by a smaller diameter portion, which become stiffer under external load, allowing for increased structural support without significant shape change, enabling thinner sheets to handle greater loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If sheets are designed to be stiff to withstand wind load, then load carrying capacity is improved, but weight of the structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet is segmented into multiple protrusions distributed across its surface. Each protrusion acts as an independent structural element that contributes to the overall load-bearing capacity. This segmentation allows the sheet to achieve high strength through distributed reinforcement rather than requiring a uniformly thick heavy structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional flat sheet to a three-dimensional structure with protrusions extending outward. This dimensional change creates additional structural support volume without significantly increasing the sheet's footprint or weight, enabling the thin sheet to resist wind loads more effectively.
2Weight of stationary object
If sheets are made thinner to reduce weight, then weight of the structure is reduced, but stiffness and load carrying capacity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the sheet into multiple protrusion elements, each thin protrusion acts as a structural beam that provides localized stiffness. The cumulative effect of many such segmented elements throughout the sheet delivers overall structural rigidity comparable to or exceeding that of thicker uniform sheets.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet combines a thin base material with protrusion structures to create a composite configuration. This composite approach allows the thin sheet to achieve the mechanical properties of a thicker sheet by leveraging the geometric configuration of the protrusions rather than relying solely on material thickness.
3Ease of manufacture
If protrusions have uniform diameter, then manufacturing is simplified, but stress distribution under load is less optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions feature non-uniform diameter with a larger first portion and a smaller second portion, creating different local properties along each protrusion. The larger diameter base provides structural support and stress distribution, while the smaller diameter section reduces material usage and weight. This local quality variation optimizes both stress distribution and manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a sheet that comprises protrusions comprising a first portion extending from a base by a second portion where a second portion diameter is less than a first portion diameter. Also disclosed is a sheet that comprises a first portion and a second portion extending from a symmetry plane, where the protrusions repeat across a length of the sheet along the symmetry plane where the first portion has a first portion diameter and the second portion has a second portion diameter and where the second portion diameter is less than the first portion diameter. A sheet comprising a plurality of cavities across a width of the sheet where each cavity extends the length of the sheet and the cavity has an opening diameter that is smaller than a body diameter is also disclosed.