Rack Component Geometry for Vertical Drying Without Surface Contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for finishing building workpieces like doors, trim, and moldings are inefficient and space-consuming, as they require significant space for drying and often result in imperfections due to contact with adjacent pieces during the finishing process.
Innovation Solution
A rack component system with triangularly shaped bodies and circular apertures that allow for vertical stacking and pivoting of workpieces, enabling efficient use of space and minimizing contact between finished and unfinished sides, using fasteners to suspend and support the pieces for drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If workpieces are placed horizontally on a flat surface for drying, then space utilization is maximized, but the finished surface contacts adjacent pieces causing imperfections
Solution Approach 1:
The rack system transitions from horizontal drying (2D floor space) to vertical stacking (3D space utilization). By standing rack components vertically and stacking them, the system uses the vertical dimension to dry multiple workpieces simultaneously without their finished surfaces contacting each other, thus maintaining finish quality while improving space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack components act as intermediaries between the workpieces and the support surface. The workpieces are attached to the rack components, which then rest on the support surface or stack vertically. This intermediary structure prevents direct contact between finished workpiece surfaces and adjacent pieces, eliminating finish imperfections while enabling efficient space use.
2Area of stationary object
If workpieces are stacked horizontally to save space, then drying space is reduced, but edges must remain unfinished and contact issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables vertical stacking of rack components, allowing workpieces to be dried in the vertical dimension rather than requiring horizontal floor space. This permits all edges to be finished before drying since workpieces are suspended vertically, eliminating the constraint that edges must remain unfinished for horizontal stacking.
3Ease of operation
If multiple rack components are used to support workpieces, then workpiece support is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rack system is divided into modular rack components that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each rack component is a discrete unit with standardized features (apertures, configurations) that can be combined in various numbers and arrangements to support different workpiece sizes and quantities, simplifying the overall system while providing robust support.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack components are designed with universal features that allow them to perform multiple functions: supporting workpieces horizontally, stacking vertically, and being attached to various workpiece types. The standardized aperture and configuration design enable the same component to be used in different configurations and locations, reducing overall system complexity despite supporting multiple workpieces.
Data Source
AI summary
A rack component having a component body with a front, back, top, base, width between the front and the back, and an aperture extending through the component body near the top, the top of the component body configured to be the negative of a cut-out on the base, such that the cut-out on the base of one component body can receive the configuration on the top of an adjacent component body below it. A rack system using a series of the rack components is also disclosed.