Thermal Joint for Cold Storage Flooring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cold storage flooring systems face challenges in maintaining structural integrity and preventing vertical deflection under heavy loads and thermal changes, leading to potential cracking and safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A thermal joint system with cold and warm side angle joints, bond holes, rod and tube holes, and a heater conduit that allows the liquid curable flooring material to form a structural matrix, enabling sliding movement with temperature changes and distributing heavy loads without vertical deflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid thermal joint is used to provide structural strength, then vertical deflection is prevented, but the joint cannot accommodate thermal expansion and contraction
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal joint incorporates sliding rods and tubes that allow dynamic movement along the joint axis while maintaining vertical rigidity. The rods can slide within the tubes, enabling the joint to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction without compromising the structural strength or causing vertical deflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal joint is divided into separate components including cold side angle joints, warm side angle joints, rods, and tubes. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the angle joints provide structural support while the rods and tubes accommodate thermal movement independently.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the flooring system is made continuous to prevent cracking, then structural integrity is improved, but thermal stress accumulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The joint design changes the physical parameters of the flooring system at the joint location by incorporating sliding mechanisms. This allows the joint to maintain continuity for structural integrity while providing a mechanism to release thermal stress through controlled sliding movement of rods within tubes.
3Strength
If heavy loads are applied to the flooring system, then structural strength is tested, but vertical deflection occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal joint is pre-configured with rods and tubes positioned to bear vertical loads before heavy equipment or loads are applied. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that when loads are applied, the joint is already positioned to prevent vertical deflection rather than reacting to the load after deflection has occurred.
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 thermal joint system effectively prevents vertical deflection and cracking, ensuring a safe and stable flooring surface under heavy loads and temperature fluctuations, reducing the risk of injuries and ice buildup.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of bond holes in each base of each angle joint allowing liquid curable flooring material to bond through each bond hole
Implementation Method 2
A heater conduit can be longitudinally positioned for transferring heat to the warm base of the warm side angle joint
Implementation Method 3
the thermal joint can simultaneously (i) allow the thermal joint rods to slide in the thermal joint tubes as the cured solid flooring material expands and contracts due to temperature changes
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal joint having a cold side angle joint; a warm side angle joint; a plurality of bond holes, wherein a liquid curable flooring material bonds through each bond hole; a plurality of rod holes in the warm side thermal wall each holding a rod; a plurality of tube holes in the cold side thermal wall each having a tube; a plurality of leveler holes in each base for containing an adjustable leveler; a tie bar engaging each tube and each rod; a heater conduit longitudinally positioned on the warm side for transferring heat to the warm side, wherein the thermal joint simultaneously allows the rods to slide in the tubes as the cured solid flooring material expands and contracts due to temperature changes and simultaneously prevents vertical deflection as heavy equipment is transported across the cured solid flooring material.