Stable Floor Covering with Asymmetric Permeability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stable floor coverings with open-cell elastic materials retain moisture, leading to discomfort for animals, especially when used on porous surfaces, as liquids do not drain effectively, causing moisture to remain in contact with the animals.
Innovation Solution
A stable floor covering with an elastically compressible layer and a liquid-permeable film on top, where the film has lower permeability than the layer, combined with a grid-like structure underneath to facilitate liquid drainage, ensuring that liquids flow from the top to the bottom without returning, and using non-foamed rubber or closed-cell materials for improved comfort and liquid discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If open-cell elastic material is used to provide comfort and elasticity to the covering, then the covering becomes soft and comfortable for animals, but the material retains moisture which reduces animal comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The covering is divided into multiple functional layers: an upper comfort layer with open-cell elastic material for animal comfort, a middle drainage layer with grid structure for liquid removal, and a lower support layer. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without interfering with others, solving the contradiction between moisture retention and comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
A grid-like drainage structure is introduced as an intermediary between the elastic comfort layer and the support surface. This intermediary component actively removes liquid from the comfort layer through capillary action and gravity, preventing moisture accumulation while maintaining the comfort properties of the elastic material.
2Productivity
If the covering is placed on a porous or grooved floor to enable liquid drainage, then liquid can pass through, but liquid flows back from the underside to the upper side of the covering
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying solely on the floor's porosity for drainage, the invention inverts the approach by incorporating an active drainage system within the covering itself. The grid structure and hydrophobic membrane work together to actively channel liquid downward and prevent upward flow, reversing the problematic backflow effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the permeability parameters of different layers to control liquid flow direction. The upper layer has high permeability for liquid passage, while the lower layer uses a hydrophobic membrane with specific pore size that allows liquid to pass downward but prevents upward flow, creating asymmetric flow control.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a liquid-permeable film is placed over the elastic material to prevent solid particles from reaching the elastic material, then solid parts are blocked, but the film has higher liquid permeability than the elastic layer causing liquid to return to the top
Solution Approach 1:
Different layers of the covering are assigned different local qualities: the upper comfort layer uses open-cell elastic material for comfort, the middle drainage layer uses grid structure for liquid channeling, and the lower layer uses hydrophobic membrane with specific pore characteristics. Each layer's local properties are optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between particle blocking and liquid flow control.
Solution Approach 2:
The covering employs composite material construction combining elastic foam, grid structures, and hydrophobic membranes with different permeability characteristics. This composite approach allows the system to simultaneously block solid particles while controlling liquid flow direction, as each material contributes its unique properties to the overall system.
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 solution provides a dry and comfortable surface for animals by effectively draining liquids away from the compressible layer, preventing moisture retention and reducing the risk of clogging, thus enhancing animal comfort and facilitating easy cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
which grid-like structure is situated under the elastically compressible layer... adapted to allow a liquid to pass from an upper side to a lower side... By the term grid is meant a construction that has such large holes that liquid is not transported through the holes due to capillary action but because of gravity
Implementation Method 2
an elastically compressible liquid-permeable layer... The elastic material used is an open-cell material which provides an elasticity to the covering and therefore comfort to the animals
Implementation Method 3
a liquid-permeable film covering the elastically compressible layer on top... to facilitate the passage of liquids through the covering and to to prevent solid parts from the animal excrements from reaching the elastic material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a covering for a stable floor, comprising an elastically compressible liquid-permeable layer and a foil permeable to the elastically compressible layer covering an upper side, characterized in that the foil has a lower liquid permeability than the elastically compressible layer.