Adjustable Bollard Flexing Leg Spacing for Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bollards used to protect structures from collisions with heavy equipment and vehicles often require precise installation, which can be challenging due to the need for large or precisely spaced mounting holes, and lack flexibility in adjusting to minor variations in hole placement, leading to installation difficulties and hazards.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable bollard design featuring a rigid post body with a leg structure and an adjustment mechanism that allows the distance between leg portions to be flexed, enabling easier installation by accommodating minor misalignments in mounting holes, and providing a sturdy impact-resistant barrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a bollard uses a single large diameter hole for mounting, then the mounting process is simpler without precise positioning requirements, but the hole creation is difficult and presents safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The single large diameter mounting hole is segmented into multiple smaller holes. The bollard body is divided into sections with individual mounting holes, reducing the hazard of large openings while maintaining ease of installation. The segmented structure allows for safer floor penetration without compromising mounting simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the bollard have different mounting requirements. The upper and lower sections of the bollard body have locally optimized mounting hole configurations, allowing smaller holes in critical areas while maintaining overall installation ease through localized adaptation to floor conditions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a bollard uses two or more smaller posts with precise spacing, then the mounting holes are easier to form and safer, but the installation requires significant precision for hole spacing
Solution Approach 1:
The bollard incorporates adjustable spacing mechanisms that allow the mounting posts or body sections to be dynamically repositioned. This dynamic adjustment capability compensates for imprecise hole spacing, enabling installation even when mounting holes are not perfectly positioned, while maintaining the safety benefits of smaller holes.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting parameters of the bollard are made changeable, specifically the distance between mounting posts or sections. This parameter adjustment allows the bollard to adapt to variations in hole spacing, reducing the precision requirements for initial hole placement while maintaining structural integrity and safety.
3Reliability
If a bollard is permanently fixed in place, then it provides stable protection, but it lacks flexibility for temporary access or location changes
Solution Approach 1:
The bollard employs dynamic mounting mechanisms that allow it to be securely fixed when needed and easily removed or repositioned when flexibility is required. The adjustable and reconfigurable mounting system provides both stable protection during use and adaptability for temporary access or location changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The bollard is designed with multi-functional mounting capabilities, serving both as a permanently fixed protective barrier and as a temporarily installable safety element. The universal mounting system allows the same bollard to be used in various locations and configurations, providing both reliability and adaptability.
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 adjustable bollard effectively protects structures from collisions while simplifying the installation process by allowing for flexible adjustment of leg spacing, reducing installation hazards and maintaining strength and impact resistance.
Implementation Method 1
The adjustment mechanism is configured to apply a force to the rigid post body to flex the rigid post body to adjust the predetermined distance for installation of the at least two leg portions
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable bollard protects structures from collisions with objects and limits access to particular areas. The bollard includes a rigid post body and a leg structure secured to the rigid body. The leg structure includes at least two leg portions adapted to support the rigid post body, where the two leg portions are separated by a predetermined distance. The bollard further includes an adjustment mechanism coupled to the rigid body, the two leg portions, or both. The adjustment mechanism is configured to apply a force to the rigid post body to flex the rigid body to adjust the predetermined distance for installation of the at least two leg portions. The bollard is constructed of material with sufficient strength and toughness to withstand collisions with heavier industrial type equipment.