C-Shaped Tie Support Assembly for Rack Beam Anti-Sagging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ready-to-assemble rack storage systems fail to prevent bowing, sagging, or outward twisting of deck beams under significant weight, leading to instability and potential structural failure.
Innovation Solution
The use of C-shaped tie supports interlocked with deck beams, featuring aligned mounting slots and tabs, which cooperate to limit sagging and prevent twisting, while maintaining a continuous planar shelf surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional deck beam arrangements are used without tie supports, then the structure is simpler and easier to assemble, but the deck beams bow, sag, or twist under significant weight leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The tie support is divided into multiple functional segments: top flange with tabs for preventing upward twisting, bottom flange with tabs for preventing downward twisting, and intermediate web for lateral support. Each segment addresses a specific deformation mode, allowing the structure to combat multiple failure mechanisms simultaneously while maintaining modular assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The C-shaped tie support acts as an intermediary element between the front and rear deck beams, providing mechanical coupling that prevents relative movement and deformation. The tie support mediates the structural interaction between deck beams, transferring and distributing loads to prevent sagging and twisting without requiring direct modification of the deck beams themselves
2Strength
If C-shaped tie supports with interlocking tabs and slots are used, then sagging and twisting of deck beams are prevented, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking tabs and slots create a self-aligning, self-locating assembly system. The tabs on the tie support fit into corresponding slots on the deck beams, automatically positioning components correctly during assembly and providing inherent guidance that reduces assembly complexity despite the increased structural capability
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple structural functions are merged into a single C-shaped tie support component: preventing upward twisting at the top flange, preventing downward twisting at the bottom flange, and providing lateral stability through the web. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components needed while achieving comprehensive structural reinforcement
Data Source
AI summary
A storage rack includes front and rear deck beams and C-shaped tie supports extending between the deck beams. Each tie support has a side wall, a top flange and a bottom flange. The top flange has front and rear ends and tabs extending downwardly therefrom. The bottom flange has front and rear ends and tabs extending downwardly therefrom. When assembled with the deck beams the front and rear ends of the top flange are seated on a support ledge of the deck beams with the tabs received into respective slots. Similarly, the front and rear ends of the bottom flange are seated on a lower leg of the front and rear deck beams with the tabs received into the respective slots. The tie supports cooperate with the deck beams to limit the sagging of the decks, while also preventing outward twisting of the deck beams.