Adjustable Inspection Pit Cover With Width-Locking Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing covers for garage inspection pits are manufactured to specific sizes, limiting their adaptability to openings of varying widths and posing safety risks if accidentally adjusted during use.
Innovation Solution
A cover with adjustable width and length, featuring extensibly connected parallel members and telescopic extension arms, secured by a retaining mechanism, allowing precise fitting to openings of different dimensions and preventing accidental width adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the cover is manufactured for a specific opening size, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability to openings of varying widths deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cover incorporates adjustable width mechanisms that allow it to dynamically adapt to different opening widths. The cover can be adjusted from a first width to a second width, enabling it to fit openings of varying dimensions while maintaining manufacturing precision for each configured state.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is designed to serve multiple opening widths through its adjustable mechanism. A single cover unit can accommodate openings of different widths by adjusting the cover width, eliminating the need for multiple specialized covers and improving both adaptability and manufacturing efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cover width is made adjustable, then the adaptability to different opening widths is improved, but the safety and stability deteriorate due to risk of accidental adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The cover incorporates a retaining mechanism that proactively prevents accidental adjustment of the cover width during use. This retaining mechanism counteracts the potential harmful effect of unintended width changes by securing the cover at the desired width, thereby maintaining safety and stability while preserving intentional adjustability.
3Reliability
If the cover is made permanently fixed at a specific width, then the safety and stability are improved, but the ease of operation and installation deteriorates due to inability to adjust
Solution Approach 1:
The cover transitions from a static fixed-width design to a dynamic adjustable-width design. The cover can be adjusted during installation to fit different opening widths, then secured at the desired width, combining the ease of adjustment with the stability of a fixed configuration when in use.
Data Source
AI summary
A cover for covering an opening defined in a surface, the opening defined between a first edge and a second edge, and defining an opening width therebetween, shorter than a length of the opening, the cover having a cover width and configured to be supported, in use, at the first edge and the second edge of the opening when the cover width is parallel to the opening width, wherein the cover width is adjustable from a first cover width to a second cover width, and wherein the cover is configured to maintain the cover width at the second cover width, in use.