Resilient Deck Structure With Spring Mounts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Platform tennis court decks made of aluminum are too rigid, leading to increased injury risk due to hardness and require extensive welding, which is cumbersome and costly.
Innovation Solution
A resilient deck structure using deeper and wider deck panel extrusions with cross-tie assemblies for mechanical fastening, eliminating the need for extensive welding and incorporating springs for adjustable firmness, allowing the deck to float on I-beams with adjustable hangers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If aluminum deck extrusions are used to replace wood, then durability and warpage resistance are improved, but the deck becomes too rigid and increases injury risk to players
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the deck extrusions by making them deeper and wider, which alters the structural stiffness characteristics. This allows the deck to maintain strength while reducing rigidity through the resilient mounting system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces resilient mounts as an intermediary element between the aluminum deck extrusions and the support structure. These mounts act as a mediator that absorbs impact forces, reducing the transmission of rigid shocks to players while maintaining structural integrity.
2Strength
If extensive welding is used to assemble deck modules, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the welding process from the assembly methodology and replaces it with mechanical fastening systems. This removes the complex welding operations while maintaining structural strength through bolted connections and interlocking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the welding mechanical system with a bolted mechanical fastening system. This replacement simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for specialized welding equipment and skilled welders, while achieving comparable structural strength through pre-drilled holes and high-strength fasteners.
3Ease of manufacture
If deeper and wider deck panel extrusions are used, then the need for welded reinforcement is eliminated, but the weight of individual panels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic principles by making the deck assembly disassemblable and modular. The heavier panels are acceptable because they can be easily removed and reinstalled without welding, allowing for dynamic maintenance and reconfiguration that offsets the static weight increase.
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 reduces impact on the body during play, decreases injury risk, and simplifies construction by eliminating most welding and allowing for direct on-site assembly of deck panels, enhancing player comfort and reducing construction costs.
Implementation Method 1
The resilient mounts include a first spring capture assembly attached to the support assembly, a second spring capture assembly attached to the playing deck, and a plurality of springs disposed between the first spring capture assembly and the second spring capture assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A resilient platform assembly has a playing deck with horizontally disposed deck panels. Each deck panel has a pair of foot flanges on the bottom of the deck panels. Receiving shoes are attached to the deck panels and configured to receive the foot flanges of the deck panels. A transverse member, perpendicular to the horizontally disposed deck panels, includes a plurality of notches. Each notch is cut in the transverse member in a predetermined spacing pattern. The receiving shoes are installed in the notches and the deck panels are attached to the transverse member through the receiving shoes. Resilient mounts connect the transverse member to a support assembly and allow relative motion between the transverse member and the support assembly. The resilient mounts include a first spring capture assembly attached to the support assembly, a second spring capture assembly attached to the transverse members, and a plurality of springs disposed between the first spring capture assembly and the second spring capture assembly.