Balcony Gate Status Alert System for Fall Hazard Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
During construction, there is a hazard of workers falling from unfinished balconies or elevated platforms due to the lack of effective barriers and the inability to remotely monitor and alert personnel about the status of safety gates, which are often removed or opened illicitly without notification.
Innovation Solution
A gate status alert system that includes a gate configured to be installed or removed, detectors to transmit wireless signals when the gate is removed or opened, and an on-site controller that sends alerts to authorized personnel via wireless devices until the gate is restored or closed, providing both remote and local alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a physical barrier (gate) is installed at the balcony ingress/egress, then the safety against falls is improved, but the gate can be removed or opened illicitly without notification, creating a new safety hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where detectors monitor the gate's status (open/closed/removed) and automatically send notifications to remote personnel. This resolves the contradiction by providing continuous information about the barrier's state, ensuring that when the gate is compromised, authorities are immediately alerted to restore safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary monitoring system consisting of detectors, transceivers, and a server that mediate between the physical gate and remote personnel. This intermediary layer provides the missing information about gate status without requiring direct human monitoring, thus maintaining safety while enabling notification.
2Loss of information
If remote monitoring of gate status is implemented, then notification of gate removal/opening is achieved, but the system complexity increases with multiple detectors, transceivers, and controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multi-functional components that perform multiple roles. For example, the detectors serve both as presence sensors and as triggers for the notification system. The transceiver combines transmission and reception functions in a single device. This reduces overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to operate autonomously without requiring constant human intervention. The detectors automatically detect gate status changes, the transceiver automatically transmits alerts, and the server automatically manages notifications. This self-service capability reduces the operational complexity despite the presence of multiple system components.
3Loss of time
If automatic alert system is deployed, then immediate notification of authorized personnel is achieved, but the cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-positioning detectors at strategic locations (doorways, balconies, stairwells) and pre-configuring the notification system with authorized personnel contacts. When a gate is compromised, the pre-configured system immediately activates and sends alerts, eliminating delays associated with system setup or manual notification procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic alert system pertaining to a gate that is releasably secured across an ingress/egress to a balcony or other elevated platform. The gate has a pair of vertical posts that are releasably secured within respective boots secured to the floor. One of the boots includes a switch-activated transmitter that is activated when its respective post is removed from the boot. Another switch-activated transmitter is activated whenever the gate is opened. If the post is pulled out of the boot, or the gate is opened, the switch-activated transmitters transmit a wireless signal to a transceiver located on the gate which then transmits a signal to an on-site controller that transmits respective text messages to authorized personnel informing them of the gate removal/opening and will continue to do so until the gate status changes. The transceiver may be housed within a housing that also contains a visual and/or audible warning at the gate vicinity to warn those in the vicinity of the gate removal or opening.