WALKING DEVICE FOR WALKING ON SOLAR MODULES

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a walking device for walking on solar modules, according to the subject matter of claim 1.

[0002] Walking devices of the same or similar type are described in documents DE 20 2015 001 998 U1 and DE 20 2019 004 524 U1.

[0003] The first walking device proposes that the upper and lower parts be provided with longitudinal and transverse grooves to lock the upper and lower parts together when walking. The geometric design of these grooves remains undefined. Such a locking mechanism can therefore be considered less than ideal. When walking with this device, small but nonetheless disruptive partial movements of the footrest are to be expected. The locking mechanism in this walking device consists of a clamping element, a central bolt, and a clamping component.

[0004] The second walking device mentioned does without longitudinal and transverse ribbing. The tensioning of the upper and lower parts is achieved here by smooth, spherical, segment-shaped metallic surfaces. The mutual tensioning of the upper and lower parts must therefore be dimensionally accurate. Otherwise, the upper part can loosen while walking with the device, allowing the foot socket to shift uncontrollably and thus creating a risk of accidents. The locking mechanism of this second prior art walking device consists of a clamping part, a clamping element, a square sleeve, a central bolt, a first large and a second small support washer, and a screw assembly formed by nuts. In total, there are eight parts. The square sleeve penetrates an opening in the clamping part, an opening in the upper part, and an opening in the lower part.

[0005] Based on this state of the art, the object of the invention is to further develop a walking device of the type mentioned above in such a way that even greater safety than before is achieved when walking on solar modules.

[0006] As part of a further development, the safety device of the walking aid should also manage with a minimum of parts.

[0007] The solution to the problem is described in the characterizing part of claim 1. The technical features contributing to the further development are found in claims 2 to 8.

[0008] By installing an elastic intermediate section arrangement, as exemplified in Fig. 2 As shown, the coefficient of friction acting between the upper and lower parts is advantageously increased considerably compared to the coefficient of friction in the walking devices described above. Should the tension between the upper and lower parts not be optimally chosen in exceptional cases during practical use, the projections are still pressed so deeply into the elastic intermediate section that the foot receptacle cannot move relative to the lower part, or at most only minimally. If, in practical use, it becomes necessary to release the tension between the upper and lower parts in order to reposition the foot receptacle, the use of the elastic intermediate section offers a further advantage.Because the projections of the upper part are pressed into the elastic intermediate assembly when clamped, a tension builds up between the upper and lower parts, which tends to push the upper part away from the lower part. This allows the upper part, and thus the foot receptacle, to be easily moved into a new position when the clamping is released, in order to be re-locked. The release of the upper part from the intermediate assembly is further facilitated if the cross-section of the projections tapers towards their tips. Conversely, the upper part can be clamped to the lower part with absolute security, reliability, and precision in any chosen position of the foot receptacle because the projections meet a smooth surface of the intermediate assembly. Therefore, corresponding recesses in the lower part, as proposed in document DE 20 2015 001 998 1, are not necessary.The proposed solution offers the highest level of safety for the user of the walking device.

[0009] Another advantage of the proposed solution is that the safety device now consists of only three parts: the clamping part, the central bolt, and the clamping element, which contributes to reducing the weight and cost of the walking device.

[0010] The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment. It shows Fig. 1 a walking device in side view; Fig. 2 in the same view the walking device shown in section; and Fig. 3 a detail view of a projection.

[0011] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a walking device 1 for walking on inclined solar modules 24. The walking device 1 is equipped with a lower section 2 designed to rest on the solar modules 24. The walking device 1 also has a footrest 6 for a person's foot. One right and one left walking device 1 are required for each person. Between the footrest 6 and the lower section 2 is a ball-joint compensating device 7, which allows the footrest 6 to be moved to different inclinations and directions, so that the walking device 1 can be adapted to the differently inclined solar modules 24. The footrest 6 can be locked in any position that can be reached as intended.

[0012] In Fig. 2 The walking device 1 is shown in section. The lower device 2 has a plate-shaped support device 3, on the underside of which is a damping device 4, for example made of foam, which in turn may be equipped on its underside with at least one anti-slip element 5. On the upper side of the support device 3 is a lower part 8, which is fixedly connected to the support device 3. The lower part 8, arranged on a vertical axis 11, has a centrally located, segment-shaped recess 9 in which, also centrally located and almost filling the recess 9, an elastic intermediate part assembly 16 is located, equipped with a centrally arranged opening 16a. The intermediate part assembly 16 can be one or more parts or be a uniformly acting elastic and relatively thick coating. The term "intermediate part assembly" therefore encompasses both embodiments.On the intermediate assembly 16, also arranged on the vertical axis 11, rests an upper part 12 with a downwardly directed section 13 in the form of a spherical cap on the intermediate assembly 16 and thus on the lower part 8. The upper part 12 is in engagement with the lower part 8. In this example, small projections 14 are provided on the section 13 of the upper part 12, which extend away from the downwardly directed section 13. The upper part 12 is also shell-shaped and houses a similarly shell-shaped clamping element 17, which, also arranged on the vertical axis 11, rests on the upper part 12 as an independent component. The upper part 12 has a larger, preferably circular, opening 15 arranged on the vertical axis 11, so that it can be moved freely in all directions if necessary.The clamping element 17 is equipped with an opening 18 located on the vertical axis 11, the opening having, for example, a square or hexagonal cross-section. The lower part 8 is also equipped with an opening 10 of the same cross-section located on the vertical axis 11. A central bolt 19 is guided in the opening 18 of the clamping element 17 by an intermediate section 19a, positioned from above and also on the vertical axis 11. The cross-section of the intermediate section 19a is adapted to the cross-section of the opening 18 and the cross-section of the opening 10 such that the central bolt 19 is movable along the vertical axis 11 under guidance in the opening 10 during clamping and releasing, but is not rotatable about the vertical axis 11.The central bolt 19, inserted in the opening 18 of the clamping element 17, extends through the opening 15 in the upper part 12, the opening 16a of the intermediate part assembly 16, and the opening 10 in the lower part 8. The clamping element 17 and the central bolt 19 can also be assembled as a single part. The central bolt 19 rests on the clamping element 17 with a collar 20 and terminates downwards with a threaded projection 21, onto which a standard clamping element 22, for example, a nut, is screwed or arranged. The clamping element 22, accessible from the outside, is located on the vertical axis 11 in a space on the lower part 8, which is open from below and partially from the side. The clamping element 17, the central bolt 19, and the clamping element 22 form a locking device 23 that allows the foot receptacle 6 to be locked for use. The intermediate part assembly 16 consists of tough-elastic rubber or plastic that is virtually indestructible in use.By rotating the clamping element 22 in one direction or the other, the tension built up via the central bolt 19 between the clamping part 17 on the one hand and the upper part 12 and the lower part 8 on the other hand can either be released or applied. In this way, the foot support 6 can be adjusted to the desired position by pivoting it accordingly. The drawing shows the walking device 1 in its horizontal starting position and in the clamped state, which means that the foot support 6 is locked in place and ready for use. The projections 14 shown have penetrated a certain distance into the elastic intermediate section 16 without causing damage; see also the detail in the drawing. It is easy to imagine that if the clamping is released, the elastic intermediate section 16 will want to return to its original smooth shape, in which the projections 14 did not penetrate the elastic intermediate section 16.Thus, when the tension is released, a multitude of partial forces act, originating from the elastic intermediate assembly 16 and attempting to push the upper part 12 upwards away from the elastic intermediate assembly 16, and therefore away from the lower part 8, along the vertical axis 11. This process facilitates a rapid change of the foot receptacle 6 from one position to another.

[0013] Up to this point, a first operating condition of the walking device 1 has been described. However, the walking device 1 is also suitable for an operating condition in which the clamping element 22 is screwed less far onto the threaded shoulder 21 of the central bolt 19. This results in a certain amount of play between the upper part 12 and the lower part 8, so that when the foot receptacle 6 is lifted and the central bolt 19 is guided in the opening 10 of the lower part 8, the projections 14 of the upper part 12 are no longer engaged with the elastic intermediate part 16. In this condition, the foot receptacle 6 can be quickly moved into a new position, which is then maintained when the foot receptacle 6 is placed on a surface again, because the projections 14 are then pressed back into the elastic intermediate part 16 in a clamping manner.

[0014] Fig. 3Figure 14 shows that each projection 14 is pressed into the elastic intermediate section 16 when the upper part 12 and lower part 8 are clamped. The projections 14 can be shaped as a spherical segment, a cone, a truncated cone, a pyramid, a truncated pyramid, or as at least one concentrically arranged ring- or ring-segment-shaped elevation. The single projection 14 or the projections 14 can also be located on the lower part 8, and conversely, the intermediate section 16 can be located on the upper part 12. It is also possible, with a correspondingly equivalent adjustment of the locking device 23, to equip the upper part 12 with a shell-shaped recess 9 and the lower part 8 with a correspondingly upwardly directed section 13. In this solution as well, the upper part 12 is in engagement with the lower part 8.

Claims

1. Walking device (1) for walking on solar modules (24), with a lower device (2) designed to rest on the solar modules (24), and a foot holder (6), wherein a ball-joint-like compensating device (7) is provided between the foot receptacle (6) and the lower device (2) on a vertical axis (11), which compensating device has an upper part (12) connected to the foot receptacle (6) and is equipped with a lower part (8) (8) arranged on the lower device (2), wherein the upper part (12) is in engagement with the lower part (8) and wherein the compensating device (7) is equipped with a securing device (23) comprising a clamping part (17), a central bolt (19) and a clamping element (22) by which the upper part (12) can be clamped to the lower part (8) and this clamping can be released again characterized in that the upper part (12) or the lower part (8) or both (12, 8) are equipped with at least one projection (14), wherein the at least one projection (14) is intended to increase the coefficient of friction between the upper part (12) and the lower part (8) in their clamped state and, that between the upper part (12) and the lower part (8) are connected by an elastic intermediate part arrangement (16) and that, when the upper part (12) and the lower part (8) are clamped together, the at least one projection (14) is pressed into the elastic intermediate part arrangement (16).

2. Walking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic intermediate part arrangement (16) is designed as a single part or multiple parts or is present as an elastic coating.

3. Walking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate part arrangement (16) is located either in a recess (9) of the lower part (8) or on a section (13) of the upper part (12). or is arranged either on a section (13) of the lower part (8) or in a recess (9) of the upper part (12).

4. Walking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate part arrangement (16) is made of rubber or elastic plastic.

5. Walking device according to claim 1, characterized in that each protrusion (14) is designed as a spherical section or as a cone or as a truncated cone or as a pyramid or as a truncated pyramid or as a ring-shaped or ring-section-shaped elevation.

6. Walking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the central bolt (19) has an intermediate section (19a) whose cross-section is positively adapted to the cross-section of an opening (18) located in the clamping part (17) and the cross-section of an opening (10) located in the lower part (8) in such a way that the central bolt (19) can move along the vertical axis (11) when the clamp is tightened and loosened and when guided in the opening (10), but cannot rotate around the vertical axis (11).

7. Walking device according to claim 6, characterized in that the central bolt (19) rests on the clamping part (17) with a collar (20).

8. Walking device according to claim 6, characterized in that the clamping part (17) and the central bolt (19) are designed as a single part and that this single part is thus guided solely through an opening (15) located in the upper part (12) and through the opening (10) of the lower part (8).