Recyclable Rubber Mat with Folded Incline Stop for Cargo
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing securement mats for cargo during transit, such as rubber mats, fail to prevent cargo movement and subsequent damage to both the cargo and shipping vessels, requiring additional labor and materials for protection, like wood stops, which are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A securement mat with a self-provided incline stop feature, comprising a sheet of granulated recycled rubber with a foldable design that creates an incline area when folded, inhibiting cargo migration and protecting structures like boxcar doors from damage without additional labor or materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If rubber securement mats are used to protect cargo during transit, then the cost of securement is reduced and the mats are reusable, but the cargo can still move and cause damage to the shipping vessel structure
Solution Approach 1:
The securement mat is divided into a first subsection (main body) and a second subsection (incline stop portion), where the second subsection is folded under the first to create a peaked incline area. This segmentation allows the mat to provide both friction-based securement and physical cargo migration prevention without requiring separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The incline stop feature is integrated directly into the securement mat by folding the second subsection under the first, combining the cargo friction function and the migration prevention function into a single unified component, eliminating the need for separate wood stops or blocking systems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If wood blocking and bracing systems are used to secure cargo, then cargo movement is prevented, but the structure of the shipping vessel may be damaged and the cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The securement mat is designed to be self-sufficient by incorporating the incline stop feature directly into its structure. The folded second subsection creates a peaked area that automatically prevents cargo migration without requiring additional external components or labor-intensive installation of separate blocking systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The securement mat changes the physical parameter of surface geometry by creating a peaked incline area through folding, transforming a flat surface into a three-dimensional structure that provides both friction-based securement and physical migration barriers, replacing the need for traditional wood blocking.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If additional doorway stop protection is added to protect shipping vessel structures, then structure damage is prevented, but extra labor steps are required to secure the mat
Solution Approach 1:
The incline stop feature serving as doorway protection is integrated into the securement mat itself through the folded second subsection. This merging eliminates the need for separate doorway stop components and reduces installation labor by requiring only the folding action during mat deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The securement mat protects the shipping vessel structure through its own integrated incline stop feature, making the system self-protecting without requiring additional protective components or extra labor steps for installation.
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 incline stop feature effectively prevents cargo migration and protects shipping vessel structures by creating a buffer that stops cargo movement, reducing damage and labor costs while maintaining low-cost, reusable securement solutions.
Implementation Method 1
the cargo, when sufficiently jostled, can still move (i.e., shift within the shipping vessel)... The incline area with a peak in the boundary area by folding the second subsection underneath the first subsection along a fold boundary... The incline inhibits a load placed thereon from migrating in the direction of the incline
Data Source
AI summary
A securement mat for mitigating the migration of loads within a shipping vessel. The securement mat having a length, a width, and a height, and including a first subsection and a second subsection, wherein an area of the second subsection is less than an area of the first subsection. The securement mat has a first fold boundary along the length or width of the sheet and proximate to one edge of the sheet defining a boundary between the first and second subsection, wherein the first subsection exhibits a first incline by folding, along the first fold boundary, the second subsection underneath the first subsection. The securement mat also has a notch on each end of the first fold boundary to facilitate folding of the second subsection under the first subsection.