Unidirectional Fiber Stabilizing Rods for Stone Slabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for stabilizing thin stone and ceramic tiles are inefficient in managing tensile forces, leading to potential cracking and breakage during bending, especially in convex and concave installations, and are costly due to the need for full-surface fiber coatings.
Innovation Solution
The use of unidirectionally oriented fiber layers, with fibers arranged in the longitudinal direction at the bottom and transverse direction at the top, integrated into a cutout in the stone slab, minimizes fiber material usage by incorporating inexpensive materials, allowing the carbon fiber to act as a tension belt, effectively absorbing tensile forces in both bending directions without full-surface coating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full-surface fiber coating is used to stabilize thin stone slabs, then crack resistance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies fiber reinforcement only at critical locations (edges and specific zones) rather than full-surface coating. The stabilizing rod is positioned at the edges where tensile stresses concentrate during bending, providing localized reinforcement that prevents cracking while minimizing expensive fiber material usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The fiber reinforcement is segmented into discrete unidirectional layers oriented at specific angles (0° and 90°) rather than continuous random mat. This segmentation allows targeted reinforcement in principal stress directions while reducing overall fiber consumption compared to omnidirectional coverage.
2Ease of manufacture
If unidirectional fiber layers are used with minimal material, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but ability to resist tensile forces in multiple directions may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation parameter of fiber layers to 0° and 90° unidirectional arrangements, aligning fibers with the principal tensile stress directions that occur during bending in both convex and concave beding. This directional optimization ensures maximum tensile force resistance in the critical loading directions while minimizing fiber quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining unidirectional fiber layers with stone or ceramic matrix material. The composite action allows the high-strength fibers to carry tensile loads while the matrix provides compression resistance and structural continuity, achieving multi-directional strength with minimal fiber content.
3Strength
If stabilizing rods are positioned deeper in the groove, then tensile force absorption at the bottom is improved, but installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The groove for receiving the stabilizing rod is pre-formed in the stone slab at the optimal depth and position before fiber layer installation. This preliminary preparation ensures the rod is positioned at the ideal location for maximum tensile force absorption without requiring complex adjustment or deep excavation during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adhesive bonding (chemical bonding mechanism) to secure the stabilizing rod in the groove, eliminating the need for mechanical anchoring or complex fastening systems. The adhesive provides sufficient bonding strength while simplifying installation compared to mechanical retention methods.
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
This approach significantly reduces stabilization costs by allowing thin slabs to be bent in both convex and concave directions without breaking, enhancing handling and installation flexibility while maintaining crack-free integrity, as the high stiffness of carbon fibers transfers stabilizing forces efficiently without causing transverse cracks.
Implementation Method 1
fibers are required, which must absorb the tensile forces in the transverse direction and in addition also in the longitudinal direction
Implementation Method 2
the high stiffness of the carbon fiber stabilizes the entire margins by stabilizing them only marginally so that the 'weak' stone with a youngs modulus of about 70 GPa will even not break in the middle when bent
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a stone or ceramic plate stabilized with the aid of fiber-coated stabilizing strips, which are mounted below the edges of the stone slat or incorporated below the edges in the stone slat. The strips are characterized in that, for reasons of optimizing the material, they have an arrangement of the fiber direction at the top and bottom for the respective load case as a tension belt and are therefore designed with unidirectional fiber layers and these fibers are as close as possible to the respective surface of the top and bottom lie to be stabilized stone plate. The tension belt preferably has a height or thickness which is greater than half the thickness of the stone slab to be stabilized and a width which is appropriate to the total load at the respectively occurring bending load.