Structural Joint Slider with Rolling Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional structural joints face challenges in ensuring optimal movement and continuity of walking surfaces, especially during seismic events and heavy vehicle transit, due to minimal deformations or expansions in the track and rib, leading to potential seizure and operational issues, particularly in large gaps.
Innovation Solution
A structural joint design featuring a slider coupled to the second end limb of the slab, partially accommodated in a guiding track with interposed rolling elements, allowing for optimal sliding and movement parallel to the gap, even in the presence of deformations, and supporting heavy loads through an extensive resting surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rib with a guiding track is used to allow parallel movement, then the slab can move parallel to the gap, but minimal deformations or expansions of the track compromise correct operation and cause seizure
Solution Approach 1:
A roller element is introduced as an intermediary between the rib and the guiding track. This roller allows the rib to move along the track while accommodating minor deformations and expansions of the track through rolling motion, preventing direct frictional contact that would cause seizure. The roller acts as a mediator that decouples the rigid constraint of the track from the moving rib.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct sliding mechanical contact between the rib and track with a rolling contact system. By substituting the sliding friction mechanism with a rolling element, the system achieves smoother movement and greater tolerance to track deformations, eliminating the seizure problem associated with direct frictional contact.
2Length of stationary object
If the gap extends for several meters to accommodate large structures, then the joint must allow large movements, but minimal deformations are sufficient to compromise correct operation
Solution Approach 1:
For large gaps spanning several meters, the roller element serves as a critical intermediary that maintains reliable operation despite track deformations. The rolling contact allows the rib to navigate along the entire length of the track while compensating for cumulative deformations that would be significant over long distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the friction parameter by introducing rolling contact instead of sliding contact. This parameter change fundamentally alters the interaction between the rib and track, reducing friction and increasing tolerance to geometric imperfections in the track, which is essential for maintaining reliability over several meters of gap length.
3Ease of operation
If a profiled member with a rib is secured to the slab, then parallel movement is enabled, but shape coupling is difficult to ensure and maintain over time
Solution Approach 1:
The roller element acts as an intermediary that reduces the sensitivity to shape coupling precision. Instead of requiring perfect complementary shapes between rib and track, the rolling element accommodates variations in shape while maintaining functional movement, making manufacturing and long-term maintenance significantly easier.
Solution Approach 2:
By substituting the sliding friction mechanism with rolling contact, the patent reduces the sensitivity to precise shape coupling. The rolling element can accommodate a wider range of rib and track geometries while maintaining effective movement, thereby simplifying manufacturing tolerances and assembly requirements.
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 ensures reliable and continuous movement between structural elements, preventing seizure and maintaining surface continuity, even in large gaps and under heavy loads, by using rolling elements to compensate for track deformations and ensure smooth sliding.
Implementation Method 1
Between the slider and the track there are interposed rolling elements, for the sliding of the slider and of the slab in the track as a consequence of relative movements of the first structural element with respect to the second structural element along the main direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A structural joint that can be placed at a break in continuity between two structural elements (A, B) and which comprises at least one slab (2) covering a gap (C) which is interposed between the mutually opposite margins of the structural elements (A, B). A first end limb (2a) of the slab (2) is associable with the first structural element (A) on the opposite side of the gap (C); a second end limb (2b) of the slab (2), opposite the first limb (2a), is associable with the second structural element (B) by way of means of slideable coupling, along a main direction of movement (D), which is parallel to the mutually opposite margins of the structural elements (A, B). The means of slideable coupling comprise a slider (3) which is coupled to the second end limb (2b) and is at least partially accommodated in a guiding track (4) defined by a surbase (5) which is anchorable in a cantilever fashion to the second structural element (B). Between the slider (3) and the track (4) there are interposed rolling elements (6), in order to allow the sliding of the slider (3) and of the slab (2) in said track (4) as a consequence of relative movements of the first structural element (A) with respect to the second structural element (B) along the main direction (D).