Shock-qualified Stowage Pallet With Welded Space Frame
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stowage pallets in naval vessels are limited by the need for multiple tracks, which reduces unsupported lengths and increases weight, while also failing to meet shock qualification requirements for extreme loading conditions.
Innovation Solution
A structurally robust, deployable stowage pallet with welded tee-shaped side rails and modular top plates, designed for longer unsupported spans, compatibility with modern handling systems, and shock qualification, featuring a flat top plate design to maximize storage volume and reduce footprint, with removable top plates for customization and extended service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If five tracks are used to rigidly support pallets, then shock qualification is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex five-track support system from the vessel deck, extracting only the essential shock support function. The pallet design transfers shock loads directly to the deck through simplified end blocks, eliminating the need for multiple tracks while maintaining shock qualification.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of supporting the pallet from below through multiple tracks, the invention inverts the approach by having the pallet ends rest directly on the deck with shock loads transmitted through the end blocks. This reverses the traditional support methodology while achieving better shock performance.
2Reliability
If five tracks are used to support pallets, then shock qualification is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy five-track support structure is extracted and replaced with a lightweight pallet design that achieves shock qualification through intelligent structural geometry. The welded space frame construction uses minimal material while maintaining high shock resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The pallet employs composite construction combining aluminum plates with welded space frame elements, creating a lightweight yet highly rigid structure that resists shock loads without requiring heavy materials or multiple support tracks.
3Device complexity
If the number of tracks is reduced from five to two, then device complexity and weight are reduced, but unsupported length increases beyond acceptable limits
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet is segmented into modular assemblies with intermediate supports that divide the span into manageable sections. This segmentation allows the pallet to bridge long distances while maintaining structural integrity and shock resistance without requiring multiple tracks.
Solution Approach 2:
The pallet uses a three-dimensional welded space frame construction that provides structural strength in multiple dimensions. This dimensional approach allows the pallet to span long distances in the horizontal direction while maintaining rigidity through vertical and diagonal bracing elements.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional pallet designs are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but shock survivability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet incorporates pre-calculated shock load paths and preliminary reinforcement at critical locations such as end blocks and intermediate supports. The welded space frame is designed in advance to accommodate extreme shock conditions while maintaining manufacturability through standardized components.
Data Source
AI summary
A pallet includes a forward and an aft end block with a plurality of assemblies connected in series between the forward and aft end blocks. Each assembly includes a bottom plate extending along a horizontal plane and having a pair of opposite side edges and a top plate extending along a horizontal plane, parallel to the bottom plate, and having another pair of opposite side edges. Two tee sections are sandwiched between the top plate and the bottom plate. The horizontal portion of each tee section is attached to the bottom plate and the vertical portion of each tee section is attached to the top plate. An intermediate support connects a front end of one assembly to a back end of an adjacent assembly.