Support for heating elements of floors and of radiating claddings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support structures for heating elements in floors and radiant claddings face issues with mechanical anchoring and steam trapping, leading to adhesive failure and potential detachment due to steam-induced bulging.
Innovation Solution
A support structure with a flat base and bosses made of thermoplastic material, featuring concave portions with anchoring low-reliefs that prevent adhesive extraction and steam venting channels to collect evaporated steam, ensuring better anchoring and preventing bulging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bosses have concave cavities for adhesive filling, then adhesive application is simplified, but mechanical anchoring strength is reduced due to lack of undercut portions
Solution Approach 1:
The boss structure combines a concave cavity (for easy adhesive filling) with localized undercut portions (for strong mechanical anchoring). The cavity provides ease of operation while the undercut portions provide strength, creating local quality differentiation within the same component.
Solution Approach 2:
The boss features a concave curved cavity that facilitates adhesive flow and filling, while incorporating undercut portions with specific geometric curvature that prevent adhesive extraction and enhance mechanical anchoring. The curved geometry serves dual purposes: ease of filling and strength enhancement.
2Ease of manufacture
If a flat base is used for support structure, then manufacturing is simplified, but steam trapping occurs causing bulging and detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The flat base is segmented by introducing a raised portion that creates a steam collection chamber. This segmentation allows the base to maintain its simple flat structure for ease of manufacture while creating a dedicated space for steam accumulation and venting, preventing bulging and detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The raised portion acts as an intermediary structure between the flat base and the heating element. It creates a steam collection chamber that mediates the steam pressure, preventing direct transmission of steam forces to the base that would cause bulging, while maintaining the simplicity of the flat base design.
3Ease of operation
If adhesive is laid in concave cavities without undercut portions, then adhesive filling is easier, but adhesive extraction occurs reducing bonding strength
Solution Approach 1:
The boss structure combines a concave cavity (for easy adhesive filling) with localized undercut portions (for strong mechanical anchoring). The cavity provides ease of operation while the undercut portions provide strength, creating local quality differentiation within the same component.
Solution Approach 2:
The boss features a concave curved cavity that facilitates adhesive flow and filling, while incorporating undercut portions with specific geometric curvature that prevent adhesive extraction and enhance mechanical anchoring. The curved geometry serves dual purposes: ease of filling and strength enhancement.
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 enhanced mechanical anchoring and prevents steam-induced bulging, ensuring the support's stability and adherence to the underlying screed, while allowing steam to escape, thus improving the structural integrity and durability of the flooring system.
Implementation Method 1
a polypropylene or polyethylene membrane (or of other thermoplastic material) which allows venting the steam from an underlying support surface on which it is laid
Implementation Method 2
hydraulic or electric type heating elements
Implementation Method 3
heating elements of floors and of radiant claddings
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 2a~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A support (10) for the heating elements of floors and radiating claddings, comprising a base (11; 211) from which bosses develop (12, 13, 14, 15; 212, 213, 214, 215) defining interspaces (16, 17, 18, 19) between them for laying pipes or electric heating cables, which is characterised by the fact that each of these bosses has a concave portion (20), with concavity facing outwards in a laying position, on the surface (21) of said concave portion (20) at least one anchoring low-relief is defined (22, 23, 24, 25), in turn defining an extraction-preventing undercut (22b) adapted to be filled with material for laying a covering element.