Shock-Absorbing Floor Structure With Buckling Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor materials struggle to provide stability during walking while effectively absorbing large impacts, such as those encountered during a fall, due to the trade-off between elastic modulus for small and large loads.
Innovation Solution
A shock-absorbing structure composed of unit structures with top plates and legs that are designed to be firm under small loads for stability and soft under large impacts, featuring a unique deformation mechanism that includes buckling legs to absorb impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the elastic modulus is set to be high to maintain stability during walking, then stability during walking is improved, but the ability to absorb large impact upon falling over deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The floor material is divided into multiple unit structures, each comprising a top plate and multiple legs. This segmentation allows each unit to independently respond to applied loads through buckling deformation of the legs, providing both stability under small loads and impact absorption under large loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The legs are designed with a specific cross-sectional shape (convexly flexed in the X-Y plane) that enables dynamic response to varying loads. Under small loads during walking, the legs maintain rigidity for stability; under large impact loads during falling, the legs undergo buckling deformation to absorb impact energy.
2Strength
If the elastic modulus is set to be low to absorb large impact upon falling over, then impact absorption capability is improved, but stability during walking deteriorates due to excessive displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The leg structure is designed with specific geometric parameters (cross-sectional shape convexly flexed in the X-Y plane, specific height and thickness ratios) that create a threshold behavior. These parameter changes enable the legs to transition from a rigid state under small loads to a deformable state under large loads, achieving both stability and impact absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The legs exhibit dynamic mechanical behavior where their effective stiffness changes with applied load magnitude. Under small loads during walking, the legs remain relatively rigid to provide stability; under large impact loads during falling, the legs undergo controlled buckling deformation to absorb impact energy while limiting displacement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the leg cross-section is designed for high rigidity to maintain stability, then stability during walking is improved, but the ability to buckle and absorb impact deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The leg cross-section is designed with an asymmetric convexly flexed shape in the X-Y plane rather than a symmetric circular or square cross-section. This asymmetric geometry creates inherent buckling characteristics that enable impact absorption while maintaining sufficient rigidity for stability during normal walking, eliminating the need for complex additional impact absorption mechanisms.
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 structure maintains stability during normal walking while effectively absorbing large impacts by allowing the legs to buckle and displace, reducing the risk of fractures.
Implementation Method 1
a shock-absorbing principle in which: the legs (12) contract in a thickness direction of the shock-absorbing structure (100) to absorb a load applied from an upper surface side of the top plate (11), and, once a load equal to or more than a threshold load is applied, the legs (12) become soft by bending (i.e. buckling) toward the inside of the unit structure (10) and being displaced largely
Implementation Method 2
the legs (12) contract in a thickness direction of the shock-absorbing structure (100) to absorb a load applied from an upper surface side of the top plate (11)
Data Source
AI summary
The shock-absorbing structure includes a top plate including an upper surface to receive a load, and at least one leg extending in the Z-axis direction from the lower surface of the top plate and has a cross-sectional shape convexly flexed toward one side in the X-Y plane. When the load is applied from the upper surface side of the top plate in the shock-absorbing structure, the legs contract in the Z-axis direction to absorb the load until the load exceeds the threshold load, and once the load exceeds the threshold load, the legs become soft by bending toward the opposite side and being displaced largely while spreading their convexly-flexed cross-sectional surfaces in the Z-Y plane, and after the displacement, the legs can further absorb the load by abutting the upper side and the lower side of the side surface to contract in the Z-axis direction.