Prefabricated Staircase with Adjustable Tread via Metal Stringer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional prefabricated staircases with quarter-turns are heavy, limiting adjustment of tread and step height, and face challenges in connecting quarter-turn sections to straight sections for cohesion and mechanical strength.
Innovation Solution
A prefabricated staircase with a metal stringer made from cut and folded steel sheets, allowing adjustable tread and step height through sliding tread plates and modular assembly, reducing weight and facilitating installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a single-piece concrete quarter-turn section is used, then structural strength is improved, but weight increases significantly and adjustment of tread depth and riser height becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The staircase is divided into separate modular components: a metal stringer structure and individual tread platforms that can be assembled separately. This segmentation reduces the weight of each component while maintaining overall structural strength through the metal framework and connection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines metal (for the stringer and structural elements) with concrete or wood (for the tread platforms). This composite approach leverages the high strength-to-weight ratio of metal for the structural framework while using lighter materials for the tread surfaces, reducing overall weight while maintaining strength.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a single-piece concrete quarter-turn section is used, then structural cohesion is improved, but adjustment of tread depth and riser height becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The metal stringer incorporates adjustable elements such as notches, holes, or positioning mechanisms that allow the tread platforms to be placed at various positions along the stringer. This enables dynamic adjustment of tread depth and riser height while maintaining structural cohesion through the rigid metal framework and secure connection methods.
Solution Approach 2:
By separating the structure into modular components (metal stringer and individual tread platforms), the system gains adaptability. Each tread platform can be independently positioned and adjusted on the stringer, allowing customization of tread depth and riser height while the overall modular design maintains structural cohesion.
3Strength
If traditional heavy handling equipment is used for installation, then structural strength is maintained, but installation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The staircase is divided into manageable modular sections (metal stringer and individual tread platforms) that can be handled with standard construction equipment rather than heavy specialized equipment. This segmentation reduces installation complexity while the designed connection mechanisms ensure structural strength is maintained during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the material parameter from solid concrete to a metal-wood/concrete composite structure, the weight and handling requirements are significantly reduced. This allows installation using conventional equipment and methods, reducing installation complexity and cost while maintaining structural integrity through the engineered metal framework.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple molds are used to create adjustable quarter turns, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple complex molds to create different quarter-turn configurations, the invention uses a single standardized metal stringer design with adjustable positioning features. Individual tread platforms are manufactured separately using standard molds, and their adjustability is achieved through the positioning mechanism on the stringer rather than through multiple specialized molds, significantly simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal stringer is designed as a universal component that can accommodate various tread platform configurations and positions. This multi-functional design allows a single stringer type to serve multiple staircase configurations, eliminating the need for multiple specialized molds while maintaining adaptability for different tread depth and riser height requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
This prefabricated quarter-turn staircase comprises a stringer (2) to which treads (10-13, 18) are individually fixed. The stringer consists of a metal beam made by cutting and bending at least one sheet, typically made of steel, to define at least four areas for receiving the treads, thus enabling the quarter turn. The treads are made of concrete or wood, with at least four of them adapted to these four areas of the stringer to ensure the quarter turn.