Adjustable Understairs Storage Frame for Multiple Stair Pitches
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing understairs storage solutions require bespoke manufacturing due to varying stair pitches, orientations, and footprints, leading to increased costs, environmental waste, and carbon footprint, as well as complexity in installation.
Innovation Solution
A universal frame for understairs storage systems featuring a plurality of triangular gussets with preconfigured engagement points on support members, allowing the frame to be adjusted to match different stair pitches and orientations, reducing the need for multiple kits and simplifying installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If bespoke manufacturing is used to match varying stair pitches and orientations, then the frame can be precisely fitted to individual stairs, but manufacturing costs, component costs, and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal frame system that can accommodate multiple stair configurations through standardized support members with adjustable engagement points. The first and second support members can be configured for different pitch angles (e.g., 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°) and orientations (left-to-right or right-to-left rising stairs) using the same basic components, eliminating the need for completely custom manufacturing for each stair case.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame system incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable elements that allow the same components to adapt to different configurations. The support members feature multiple engagement points that can be positioned at different locations along the members, enabling dynamic adjustment of the frame geometry to match various stair pitches and footprints without requiring custom-built frames.
2Ease of operation
If separate kits are provided for each pitch and orientation, then installation can be simplified, but component count, delivery costs, and storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple pitch-specific and orientation-specific kits into a single universal kit containing first and second support members with multiple engagement points. This universal kit can be configured for different stair pitches (35°-50°) and orientations by simply repositioning the engagement points on the support members, reducing the number of separate kits needed from potentially 8+ different kits to one versatile kit.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame system is divided into modular support members with discrete engagement points that can be independently positioned and configured. This segmentation allows the same modular components to be assembled in different configurations for various stair types, reducing the need for multiple complete kits while maintaining installation simplicity through standardized modular assembly.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bespoke manufacture is used, then the frame can be tailored to individual requirements, but environmental waste and carbon footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables a single universal frame design to serve multiple stair configurations, allowing the same support members and gussets to be reused across different installations. This reduces manufacturing waste by eliminating the need to produce custom frames for each stair case, while still achieving the required adaptability through adjustable engagement points and reconfigurable assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular support member design with standardized engagement points facilitates disassembly and reuse of frame components across different installations. Instead of discarding bespoke frames after a single use, the same support members can be recovered and reconfigured for different stair configurations, reducing material waste and environmental impact.
Data Source
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AI summary
A frame for an understairs storage system, the system having a plurality of gussets, each gusset having a gusset pitch a, comprising: a first support member and a second support member, each of the first and second support members having a plurality of preconfigured engagement points, the preconfigured engagement points of the first support member pairing with the plurality of engagement points of the second support member to provide a plurality of pairs of engagement points; each pair of engagement points configured to cooperably engage a gusset of the plurality of gussets to orientate the second support member at a preselected angle, x, to the first support member, said preselected angle corresponding to the gusset pitch.