U-Shaped Rail System for Ship Wall Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rail systems for movable wall elements on ships are not adequately protected from external influences like salt water and weather, and they lack precision and stability, especially during movement in windy conditions.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped rail system with rollers placed inside for protection, supported by a cuboid support body with parallel rollers and transverse rollers for precise movement, and a rotatable suspension element for navigating corners, along with guide elements and blocking mechanisms to manage wall element placement and prevent overcrowding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rails with rollers exposed on the outside are used, then the wall elements can be moved along the rails, but the rollers are exposed to external influences such as salt water and weather, reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The support body with rollers is nested inside the U-shaped rail, with the open end of the U-shaped rail facing upward to receive the support body. This nesting arrangement protects the rollers from external influences like salt water and weather while maintaining the mobility function of the wall elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The U-shaped rail acts as a protective shell enclosing the support body and rollers. The open top allows insertion while the sides and bottom provide protection from environmental factors, creating a semi-enclosed protective structure.
2Ease of operation
If wall elements are moved freely along the rails, then mobility is achieved, but the wall elements swing excessively during movement, especially in high winds
Solution Approach 1:
The support body acts as an intermediary between the wall element and the U-shaped rail. It provides a stable interface with multiple contact points (rollers on opposite sides) that reduces swinging while maintaining mobility. The support body mediates the interaction between the wall element and environmental forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The support body extends in multiple dimensions within the U-shaped rail, with rollers positioned on opposite sides and support rollers protruding beyond the support body. This multi-dimensional arrangement constrains movement in multiple directions, reducing swinging while preserving mobility along the rail.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple wall elements are accommodated in station sections, then storage capacity is increased, but overcrowding occurs without proper management
Solution Approach 1:
Guide elements are positioned in advance in the station sections to create predefined pathways and stopping positions for support rollers. This preliminary arrangement of guide elements enables automatic sorting and prevents overcrowding as wall elements are moved into station sections, managing multiple elements without complex active control systems.
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
Ensures secure, precise, and stable movement of wall elements on ships, protecting them from external influences and maintaining order in wall configurations even in rough seas.
Implementation Method 1
The support body 4 is equipped with rollers 8; its width is smaller than the internal cross-section of the rails, allowing it to be inserted into the interior of the rails
Implementation Method 2
A support roller protruding beyond the support body is arranged on a third wall of the support body. The support rollers are arranged on the support body on a third wall opposite the wall element
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 2
Figure 4
AI summary
In an arrangement for forming at least one wall, in particular a side wall on a ship, with wall elements which are movably held on a rail system, it is provided that the rail system has rails with a U-shaped cross-section, wherein the free ends of the U-legs are angled inwards approximately at a right angle and that each wall element is provided with at least one suspension element which has a supporting body whose width is smaller than the inner cross-section of the rails and which is equipped with rollers.