Hauling Tarp with Smooth Bottom Sheet for Abrasion Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tarpaulins used for hauling landscaping materials deteriorate quickly due to friction and abrasion, and existing sled-like devices are cumbersome for storage and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A tarpaulin design featuring a flexible first sheet and a second, thicker, smoother sheet that can be rolled or folded for storage, with fiber-reinforced plastics and protective strips to prevent abrasion and secure fastening means, allowing easy sliding and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a tarp is used to haul materials across the ground, then it can transport large quantities of material, but friction and abrasion between the tarp and the ground surface cause rapid deterioration of the tarp
Solution Approach 1:
The tarp is divided into two distinct layers: a first sheet providing structural strength and a second sheet providing abrasion resistance. This segmentation allows each layer to specialize in its primary function, with the second sheet specifically protecting against ground friction while the first sheet maintains overall tarp integrity and load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining two different sheet materials with complementary properties. The fiber-reinforced plastics material in the first sheet provides tensile strength, while the smooth plastics material in the second sheet provides low friction and abrasion resistance. This composite approach creates a tarp that simultaneously achieves high durability and excellent ground sliding performance.
2Reliability
If a sled-like device is used instead of a tarp to reduce abrasion, then durability is improved, but the device cannot be stored easily and cannot be transported easily on a landscaper's vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses flexible plastic sheets instead of rigid sled structures. The second sheet with its smooth bottom face provides sled-like abrasion resistance while maintaining the flexibility and foldability of a traditional tarp. This allows the durable surface to be rolled or folded into compact configurations for easy storage in vehicle beds or trailers, eliminating the storage problems of rigid sled devices.
3Reliability
If the second sheet is made thicker and smoother to enhance sliding, then abrasion resistance is improved, but the flexibility for rolling and folding storage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the thickness parameter of the second sheet to achieve a balance between smoothness/abrasion resistance and flexibility. The second sheet is made thick enough to provide a smooth, durable sliding surface but not so thick that it becomes rigid. This parameter optimization, combined with the flexibility of plastics material, allows the sheet to maintain both abrasion resistance and the ability to be rolled or folded for storage.
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 tarpaulin is durable, easy to store and transport, and resistant to abrasion, extending its useful life while maintaining ease of use and storage.
Implementation Method 1
The second sheet has a smooth bottom face and a thickness greater than the thickness of the first sheet, and has sufficient flexibility to allow both sheets to be rolled for storage... the bottom sides of the glides are sufficiently smooth to enhance sliding of the sheet on a supporting surface
Data Source
AI summary
A hauling tarpaulin for landscaping and similar uses is composed of a flexible first sheet of fiber-reinforced plastics material and a flexible second sheet of plastics material. The first and second sheets are connected to each other with the top face of the second sheet in facing contact with the bottom face of the first sheet. The second sheet has smooth bottom face, a thickness greater than the thickness of the first sheet, and a flexibility allowing both sheets to be rolled or folded for storage. The sheets are secured to each other by rows of stitching, and the stitching is protected from abrasion by protective strips. The stitching passes through intermediate strips to which the protective strips are secured by an adhesive layer.