Stable Floor Element with Rigid and Elastic Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stable floor elements for animal enclosures can become slippery due to animal excrements, reducing traction and potentially leading to hazardous gas emissions when excrements come into contact with concrete, and they do not effectively manage claw wear or provide a comfortable walking surface.
Innovation Solution
A stable floor element with alternating rigid and elastic regions, where the rigid regions are made of plastic or plastic composite and the elastic regions are made of rubber, providing a comfortable walking surface, maximizing traction, minimizing claw wear, and preventing direct contact between concrete and excrements, while a self-closing valve element minimizes gas emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a common elastic element entirely surrounds the rigid element, then the rigid element locks the elastic element in all horizontal directions providing stable positioning, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to precise fitting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic element is designed with locally differentiated properties: the sidewalls provide lateral confinement while the base allows vertical compression. This local differentiation enables the element to achieve stable positioning without requiring perfectly precise fitting throughout the entire structure, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic element's geometric parameters are optimized to provide sufficient lateral confinement through sidewall geometry while maintaining ease of installation. The sidewalls are designed with specific angles and dimensions that create effective locking in horizontal directions without requiring extremely tight tolerances, thus balancing positioning stability with manufacturing feasibility.
2Ease of repair
If the rigid element and elastic element are designed as separate replaceable components, then maintenance becomes easier by replacing only worn elements, but the device complexity increases due to multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The floor element is segmented into distinct rigid and elastic components that can be independently replaced. The rigid element provides structural support while the elastic element provides cushioning and traction. When one component wears out, only that specific component needs replacement rather than the entire floor element, significantly easing maintenance while the modular design keeps the overall system relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic element is designed to fit within or around the rigid element in a nested configuration. This nesting arrangement allows two functional components to work together in a compact space without requiring complex assembly mechanisms, achieving ease of repair through replaceability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the top layer prevents direct contact between concrete cores and excrements, then hazardous gas emissions are reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to additional coating or topping layer
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid element acts as an intermediary barrier between the concrete core and animal excrements. By positioning the rigid element (made of plastic or plastic composite) over the concrete core, it prevents direct contact between excrements and concrete, thereby reducing hazardous gas emissions. This intermediary approach avoids the need for additional coating layers on concrete, keeping manufacturing complexity relatively low while achieving the environmental benefit.
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 enhances animal safety by providing a non-slippery surface, reducing claw wear, and minimizing hazardous gas emissions by creating a comfortable and secure walking surface with improved traction and easy maintenance of separate elements.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic regions are made of rubber, providing a comfortable walking surface, maximizing traction
Data Source
AI summary
A stable floor element (1) comprises at least two beams (2) which are spaced from each other. Each of the beams (2) has a concrete core (C) including a top side (5) which is covered with a top layer (6) that is provided with at least a rigid region (7) and an elastic region (8). The rigid region (7) and the elastic region (8) are adjacent to each other in a direction parallel to the top side (5). Upper sides (11, 16) of the regions (7, 8) form a common upper surface of the stable floor element (1). Alternatively, each of the beams (2) has a concrete core (C) including a top side (5) which is provided with an elevated portion (23), thus forming a rigid region, wherein elastic members (8) are located adjacent to the elevated portion (23) at opposite sides thereof, thus forming elastic regions. The elastic members (8) are fixed to each other and the upper sides (11, 16) of the elevated portion (23) and the elastic members (8) form a common upper surface of the stable floor element (1).