Self-locking Polyhedral Reservation Box for Concrete Slabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for installing reservation boxes in concrete slabs are tedious and time-consuming, especially when multiple boxes are involved, and the adhesion of the box walls with concrete makes removal difficult, leading to suboptimal use and prolonged operation durations.
Innovation Solution
A self-locking reservation box with a polyhedral shape, featuring side panels that are not parallel and angled between 3° and 60°, allowing it to act as permanent formwork, preventing vertical movement and enabling quick concrete pouring without stripping, made from materials like expanded cellular polymers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional reservation boxes with parallel side panels are used, then the box can be easily manufactured and assembled, but the box requires stripping before concrete pouring which is time-consuming and difficult due to adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the reservation box with non-parallel side panels forming angles between 3° and 60°, creating an asymmetric geometric configuration that prevents vertical movement under concrete pressure. This asymmetric design eliminates the need for stripping operations while maintaining ease of manufacture using standard modular panels.
2Productivity
If the box is stripped before concrete pouring, then the concrete can be poured smoothly, but the process becomes tedious and time-consuming especially with multiple boxes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through the self-locking mechanism where the non-parallel side panels automatically lock the box in position within the concrete slab. The box serves itself by forming permanent formwork that eliminates the need for external stripping operations, allowing immediate concrete pouring without waiting for drying or removal processes.
3Strength
If the box walls adhere strongly to concrete, then the box provides good formwork support, but the adhesion makes removal difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by reversing the traditional approach: instead of designing boxes that need to be removed after serving their formwork function, the design makes the box remain permanently embedded in the concrete. The non-parallel side panels create a self-locking effect that prevents removal, but this is exactly the desired outcome as the box becomes permanent formwork eliminating the need for removal operations entirely.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple reservation boxes are installed in the same slab, then the slab can accommodate multiple conduits, but the stripping and unboxing process becomes increasingly tedious and long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a standardized reservation box module with non-parallel side panels that can be repeatedly deployed across multiple locations in the same slab. Each box independently self-locks and serves as permanent formwork, allowing multiple boxes to be installed simultaneously without compounding the stripping time issue, thus maintaining efficiency regardless of the number of boxes used.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
This polyhedral enclosure box, with a square, rectangular, or hexagonal base, comprises side panels defining the sides (3 to 5) of the box, a bottom panel (7), and a lid. The box delimits a passageway (V) for at least one duct and/or technical conduit in a concrete slab (8) or wall (10). At least two side panels defining two opposite sides (3 and 4) of the box are not parallel, and the smallest distance between these panels (3 and 4) is located at the junction between them and the bottom panel (7). All the side panels of the enclosure box forming two opposite sides (3 and 4) are not parallel, and the angle formed by two panels forming two opposite sides (3 and 4) of the box is between 3° and 60°. The invention also relates to a method of using the box.