Adjustable Carrying Device for Ladders and Heavy Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ladders and heavy materials used in carpentry tasks, such as paint cans and sheet materials, are cumbersome and uncomfortable to carry due to their weight and awkwardness, leading to discomfort and strain on the user's hands.
Innovation Solution
A removable handle device that can be used to carry ladders, multiple one-gallon cans, five-gallon buckets, and sheet materials by distributing the weight across a larger area, allowing for easier lifting and reducing pressure on the user's hands, and can also be used to hang containers or power tools from a ladder leg.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a ladder is carried in traditional manner, then it can be transported, but it causes discomfort and strain on user's hands due to weight and awkwardness
Solution Approach 1:
The carrying device transforms the carrying method by adding a horizontal dimension - the ladder is carried horizontally across the user's body rather than vertically or at awkward angles. The device spans across the shoulders and chest, distributing the ladder's weight along the horizontal plane of the upper body, which is structurally stronger and more comfortable than traditional hand-carrying methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrying device is designed to handle multiple types of objects with different weights and dimensions - ladders, sheets of material, containers, and combinations thereof. The adjustable members and hooks allow the same device structure to accommodate various load configurations, making it a universal solution for carrying different construction materials.
2Ease of operation
If heavy materials like sheets and containers are carried traditionally, then they can be transported, but weight concentrates on user's hands causing pain
Solution Approach 1:
The carrying device divides the load into multiple segments supported at different locations on the body. Instead of concentrating weight on the hands, the device creates multiple contact points - shoulders, chest, and hands - with the main weight bearing structures (members extending from the handle) distributing the load across the upper body. This segmentation of the load-bearing function relieves pressure from any single point.
Solution Approach 2:
The device redistributes weight from the vertical dimension (hands gripping) to the horizontal dimension (shoulders and chest supporting). The members extend horizontally from the handle to rest against the user's body, creating a horizontal load-bearing structure that is much more comfortable than vertical hand-gripping.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a carrying device is designed to handle multiple object types, then versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device achieves versatility through universal components - adjustable members that can be positioned at different lengths and angles, multiple hooks that can accommodate various object types (ladders, containers, sheets), and a modular handle system. These universal features allow the same basic structure to handle diverse loads without requiring multiple specialized devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrying device incorporates dynamic, adjustable elements rather than fixed structures. The members can be adjusted in length and position, and the hooks can be configured for different object types. This adjustability provides versatility while maintaining a relatively simple base structure, as the same components serve multiple functions through reconfiguration rather than requiring multiple dedicated components.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for using a carrying device to hang a can from a ladder and carrying a plurality of cans. The carrying device having a body with a handle connection a first and second member extending from the handle. The first and second members are located at opposing ends of the handle. The first member has a hook on the end opposite the handle. The second member has a first and second hook on the end opposite the handle. The first and second hook are located on opposing sides of the second member. The device can be used to carry multiple gallon cans of paint, five gallon pails as well as sheet material such as plywood and sheetrock.