Telescoping Shock Isolator for Compact Container Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock isolation systems for containers require large spatial arrangements to provide maximum shock protection, which conflicts with the industry's need for minimal container sizes to facilitate easy handling and transport.
Innovation Solution
A shock isolation system comprising removably secured isolators that transition between a contracted and expanded position, allowing for increased deflection distance without increasing the container's size, featuring a telescoping mechanism with springs and a support assembly that deploys to provide maximum travel for the container load during shock impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional isolators are used to provide maximum shock protection, then shock impact protection is improved, but container size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The isolator transitions from a static conventional design to a dynamic telescoping mechanism that can extend and retract. The isolator includes a body, plunger, and telescoping elements that allow the isolator to dynamically adjust its length based on shock conditions, providing maximum deflection travel only when needed during shock events while maintaining a compact size during normal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping isolator employs a nested structure where the plunger is received within the body, and telescoping elements are nested within each other. This nesting allows the isolator to collapse to a minimal size for storage and transport while extending to provide the required deflection travel during shock events, effectively resolving the contradiction between compact size and shock protection capability.
2Reliability
If isolators allow maximum deflection travel for shock protection, then shock damping is improved, but spatial arrangement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The isolator transitions from a static conventional design to a dynamic telescoping mechanism that can extend and retract. The isolator includes a body, plunger, and telescoping elements that allow the isolator to dynamically adjust its length based on shock conditions, providing maximum deflection travel only when needed during shock events while maintaining a compact size during normal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping mechanism introduces an additional dimensional aspect to the isolator's operation. Rather than relying solely on linear compression in one dimension, the isolator uses telescoping elements that can extend and retract along the same axis, effectively creating a multi-stage compression system that achieves greater total deflection travel within a shorter initial length.
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
Enables effective shock and vibration damping with significantly greater deflection travel than standard systems, maintaining minimal container size while ensuring maximum protection during transfer operations, such as on a ship deck.
Implementation Method 1
The isolator includes a body, a plunger, and a spring element. The spring element is disposed between the body and the plunger and is configured to urge the plunger toward the retracted position.
Implementation Method 2
The energy of the motion of deflection of the load is absorbed by the isolators and converted to heat. Such conversion results in the damping of vibrations and oscillations caused by the shock to the container.
Data Source
AI summary
A shock isolation system includes at least one isolator configured to be removably secured to an exterior of a container and at least one foot in communication with the at least one isolator and configured to contact a support surface. The isolator has a first end proximate the support surface and an opposing second end distal from the support surface, and is configured to transition between a first, contracted position and a second, expanded position. In a stowed configuration of the system, the isolator is in the contracted position and a bottom end of the container is spaced apart from the foot at a first distance. In a deployed configuration of the system, the isolator is in the expanded position and a bottom end of the container is spaced apart from the foot at a second distance which is greater than the first distance.