Support Plate System for Elevated Flooring Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elevated flooring systems face challenges in providing a stable and durable surface, particularly in outdoor applications where drainage and architectural features are essential, as they often rely on support pedestals that may not adequately secure tiles against movement or damage.

Innovation Solution

The system incorporates support plates with locating structures and adhesives to securely position surface tiles over pedestals, ensuring stability and durability by distributing the load and preventing tile movement or damage from fractures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If support pedestals are used to elevate surface tiles, then drainage and architectural features are improved, but tile stability and resistance to movement are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage and architectural featuresVSAvoidtile stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces support plates as intermediary components between the pedestals and tiles. These plates provide a stable bonding surface for adhesive application, distributing loads more effectively and preventing tile movement while maintaining the elevated flooring system's drainage and architectural capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is divided into distinct functional components: pedestals for elevation and drainage, support plates for stability and load distribution, and tiles for the surface layer. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising overall system performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If support pedestals are spaced apart to create elevated surfaces, then drainage is improved, but structural support and tile security are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedrainageVSAvoidstructural support

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support plates extend the support function from vertical pedestal points to horizontal planar surfaces. This dimensional transition distributes structural support across a larger area, compensating for the spaced-apart pedestal configuration and maintaining both drainage capability and structural strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If tiles are placed directly on pedestals, then installation simplicity is improved, but tile security against falling or cracking is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidtile security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The support plates are pre-positioned on the pedestals before tile installation, creating a prepared bonding surface. This preliminary action ensures proper adhesive distribution and tile alignment, maintaining installation simplicity while significantly improving tile security against falling or cracking

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9874029B2Support plate system for elevated flooring tiles

Publication Date: 2018.01.23 UNITED CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS LLC

AI summary

An elevated flooring surface assembly including surface tiles disposed on respective support plates, the corners of which in turn rest on support pedestals disposed upon a fixed surface with a predetermined spacing therebetween to provide for increased degrees of support of the surface tiles above the fixed surface.