Sealed Hook Joints for Truck Trailer Wood Flooring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wood flooring in truck trailers faces challenges with moisture ingress and delamination at hook joints, leading to potential degradation and reduced lifespan, especially when exposed to environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
The use of a sealer, such as a two-part emulsion polymer isocyanate (EPI) adhesive, is applied within the hook joints of wood strips to create a sealed and impermeable joint, preventing moisture ingress and enhancing the durability of the flooring by bonding tightly with the wood and providing a moisture barrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional wood flooring is used in truck trailers, then the flooring provides desirable strength and stiffness, but the hook joints are susceptible to moisture ingress and delamination
Solution Approach 1:
A sealer material is introduced as an intermediary substance within the hook joint to prevent moisture ingress. The sealer fills the joint cavity and creates a barrier between the wood strips and external moisture, resolving the contradiction by maintaining joint integrity without compromising the structural strength of the flooring
Solution Approach 2:
The sealer material forms a flexible sealing film within the hook joint that adheres to the wood surfaces. This thin film barrier effectively blocks moisture penetration while allowing the joint to maintain its mechanical bonding, thus protecting against delamination while preserving flooring strength
2Ease of manufacture
If hook joints are used to join wood strips, then the flooring can be assembled from multiple strips, but the joints are impermeable to moisture and water vapor
Solution Approach 1:
The sealer acts as an intermediary material that fills the hook joint, creating an impermeable barrier to moisture and water vapor. This allows the flooring to maintain its assembled structure from multiple strips while preventing harmful moisture ingress through the joints
Solution Approach 2:
The hook joint becomes a composite structure combining wood strips, adhesive, and sealer material. This composite construction provides both the mechanical connection needed for easy assembly and the moisture barrier properties required to prevent water vapor penetration
3Stability of the object's composition
If wood strips are bonded along side surfaces and joined at end surfaces, then the flooring achieves structural integrity, but the end joints remain vulnerable to moisture degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealer material is placed within the end joint as a protective intermediary, shielding the adhesive bond from moisture exposure. This preserves the structural integrity of the flooring while extending its lifespan by preventing moisture-induced degradation at the vulnerable end joints
Solution Approach 2:
The sealer provides beforehand protection to the end joint, cushioning the adhesive bond against future moisture exposure. By pre-sealing the joint before moisture can cause damage, the flooring maintains its structural integrity and extends its service life
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 sealed hook joints significantly reduce water penetration and delamination, extending the lifespan of the flooring and meeting exterior application requirements, with improved resistance to moisture and heat, and exceeding industry standards for wet shear strength.
Implementation Method 1
The sealer or joint sealer may be any adhesive known to those skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, emulsion polymer isocyanate (EPI) adhesives
Implementation Method 2
The hook joint may be sealed to be essentially impermeable to liquid water and water vapor
Data Source
AI summary
Floor boards and wood flooring for truck trailers and containers as well as methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example wood floor for truck trailers and containers may include a wood member including a plurality of floor boards. Each of the floor boards may include a plurality of wood strips joined together. Opposing side surfaces of the wood strips may be attached together. Opposing end surfaces of the wood strips may be secured together with an end joint. The end joint may include a sealer disposed within the end joint.