Recyclable Formwork Panels with Retaining Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing formworks for concrete structures are costly, time-consuming to produce and remove, and environmentally unfriendly, especially for vertical structures, as they often require disposable materials like polystyrene or permanent wooden/metal stakes that adhere to concrete, and packaging assemblies are not reusable or economical.
Innovation Solution
A recyclable formwork system using retaining devices with elongated supports and parallel walls forming holding channels for panels, along with hooping means, made from recyclable materials, allowing for easy assembly, reusability, and reduced production costs, applicable for both concrete structures and packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If disposable formworks made of polystyrene are used, then the formwork can be easily discarded after a single use, but the environmental pollution increases and the formwork cannot be recycled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from non-recyclable polystyrene to recyclable paperboard, transforming the environmental impact while maintaining the disposable formwork functionality. The paperboard can be recycled after use, eliminating the pollution problem associated with polystyrene disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The formwork uses composite construction with paperboard as the base material, reinforced with fibreglass mesh and coated with impervious material. This composite structure provides the necessary mechanical strength and moisture resistance while maintaining recyclability, resolving the contradiction between ease of disposal and environmental harm.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If permanent formworks made of wooden or metal stakes are used, then the formwork can be reused multiple times, but the stakes adhere to concrete making removal time-consuming and laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable paperboard formworks that are designed for single use. After the concrete sets, the entire formwork can be easily removed and discarded without the time-consuming labor of separating adhered stakes. The low cost of the paperboard material makes this disposable approach economically viable while eliminating removal time losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material properties from permanent wooden or metal stakes to disposable paperboard. This parameter change in material selection and lifecycle duration allows the formwork to be easily removed after use, eliminating the adhesion problem that causes time losses in permanent formwork systems.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If recyclable paperboard formworks are used instead of polystyrene, then environmental pollution is reduced, but the production cost and removal time remain high
Solution Approach 1:
The formwork is segmented into modular panels that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for standardized production processes, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost. The modular design also facilitates efficient assembly and removal, further reducing labor costs while maintaining the recyclable paperboard construction that minimizes environmental pollution.
Solution Approach 2:
The paperboard formwork panels are designed with universal dimensions and features that can be used for multiple different concrete pouring applications. This multi-functionality increases the effective usage life of each formwork panel, amortizing the production cost over more uses and reducing the overall cost per project while maintaining environmental sustainability.
4Manufacturing precision
If packaging assemblies are designed for specific applications with custom dimensions, then the packaging fits the goods perfectly, but the packaging cannot be reused for another application
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging assembly uses standardized modular panels that can be configured for multiple different applications and product sizes. The retaining devices are designed with universal features that accommodate various panel arrangements, allowing the same packaging components to be reused for different products and purposes while maintaining precise fit through modular configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging is segmented into standardized modular panels and retaining devices that can be independently assembled and configured. This segmentation allows the packaging to be adapted to different product dimensions and applications while maintaining precise fit, and the modular components can be disassembled and reused for other packaging needs, resolving the contradiction between custom fit and reusability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a reusable formwork for forming a polygonal upright concrete column using a plurality of retaining devices and a plurality of panels arranged with the retaining devices for providing a forming cavity between the panels adapted to receive concrete therein. Hooping means are used to hoop the panels forming the cavity.