Interchangeable Trenching Panels With Removable Couplings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trenching supports are heavy, requiring cranes for installation and lack adaptability to various trench shapes, lengths, heights, widths, and installation situations, often limiting their use due to crane access and cost constraints.
Innovation Solution
A trenching system featuring interchangeable panels with fixed couplings and removable couplings that allow panels to be coupled in various configurations, including parallel and angled arrangements, enabling flexible installation and disassembly within the trench without crane access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If trenching supports are preassembled as complete units, then structural strength and stability are improved, but weight increases requiring crane installation
Solution Approach 1:
The trenching support is divided into separate panels and couplings that can be assembled in-situ within the trench. Each panel is a manageable component that can be manually positioned and connected, eliminating the need for crane installation while maintaining structural integrity through the coupling mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism is extracted as a separate removable component from the panel assembly. This allows the coupling to be installed independently within the trench and then connected to pre-positioned panels, separating the installation process into manageable stages without requiring heavy lifting equipment.
2Ease of manufacture
If trenching supports are designed as fixed standard units, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different trench geometries deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism incorporates adjustable elements that allow the connection angle and orientation to be modified during installation. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the same standardized panel and coupling components to adapt to various trench geometries including parallel, angled, and curved configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized panels and couplings are designed with universal compatibility features, allowing the same basic components to serve multiple functions and configurations. The couplings can accommodate different panel orientations and arrangements, making the system versatile for various trench shapes while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Productivity
If trenching supports require crane installation, then installation speed is improved, but cost and accessibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the trenching support into smaller panel and coupling components, the system can be installed manually within the trench without requiring crane access. The segmented design allows workers to position and assemble components from within the trench environment, improving accessibility to sites where cranes cannot reach.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable coupling acts as an intermediary component that facilitates the assembly process within the trench. It enables the connection of panels without requiring external lifting equipment, serving as a mechanical mediator that allows in-situ assembly and eliminating the crane accessibility constraint.
4Stability of the object's composition
If trenching supports are made as single integrated units, then structural stability is improved, but ease of reconfiguration and reuse deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The trenching support is segmented into panels and removable couplings that can be easily disconnected and reconnected. This segmentation maintains structural stability when assembled through the coupling mechanism while enabling rapid reconfiguration and reuse by simply removing and repositioning the coupling components without damaging the panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable coupling provides a dynamic connection that can be easily assembled and disassembled while maintaining structural integrity during use. This dynamic coupling mechanism allows the support system to be reconfigured for different trench sections or reused in other applications without compromising the stability provided during installation.
Data Source
AI summary
A panel for shoring a wall of a trench, the panel including an outer face arranged to face the wall, an opposing inner face, opposing sides, a top end and a bottom end, wherein the panel includes fixed couplings located at or adjacent to the inner face and toward the opposing sides, the fixed couplings being adapted to couple with a removable coupling which is inter-connectable in a first installed condition between a respective one of the fixed couplings of the panel and a respective one of the fixed couplings of an adjacent further panel. A panel assembly including at least two panels and a removable coupling is also disclosed as well as a system and method including interchangeable panels and couplings that allow for the formation of trenching supports in a variety of geometric configurations.