Positive Pressure Blower Support Frame for Side Compartment Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing positive pressure blowers are difficult to move sideways and are not easily placed into or removed from side storage compartments on emergency vehicles due to wheel orientation, leading to potential damage and increased operational time for firefighters.

Innovation Solution

A support frame with wheels mounted at the lower corners, allowing perpendicular movement and tilting, facilitating easy sideways movement and ergonomic handling, similar to a wheelbarrow, with optional additional wheels for all-direction mobility and integrated handles for control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wheels are mounted perpendicular to the flow of air through the blower, then the blower can be easily moved sideways and quickly placed into or removed from side compartments on emergency vehicles, but the wheel orientation becomes non-standard and may increase complexity of the support frame design

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of sideways movementVSAvoidwheel mounting orientation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional wheel orientation by mounting wheels perpendicular to the air flow direction rather than parallel to it. This allows the blower to be moved sideways like a hand truck, enabling easy placement into and removal from side compartments on emergency vehicles without damaging the wheels or wasting time dragging the equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Device complexity

If wheels are mounted for forward-backward movement only, then the blower structure remains simple, but the blower cannot be easily moved from side to side at a fire scene and must be dragged out of storage compartments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewheel mounting structureVSAvoidsideways movement capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reverses the conventional approach by orienting wheels to enable sideways movement rather than forward-backward movement only. The wheels are mounted perpendicular to the air flow direction, allowing the blower to be maneuvered laterally at fire scenes and easily extracted from side storage compartments without dragging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Volume of moving object

If the blower is stored sideways in a narrow compartment, then it fits the emergency vehicle storage space, but the wheels are damaged and valuable time is wasted when the blower must be dragged out

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage compartment fitVSAvoidwheel damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the extraction method by designing wheels that roll in the direction needed for removal from side compartments. Instead of dragging the blower out horizontally, the perpendicular wheel orientation allows it to be rolled out smoothly, preventing wheel damage and eliminating time waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The support frame acts as an intermediary structure that facilitates safe extraction. The frame with perpendicular wheels serves as a mediator between the compact storage space and the operational position, enabling smooth transition without direct dragging that would damage the blower or wheels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If firefighters manually handle heavy blowers without ergonomic design, then no additional frame components are needed, but firefighters are at risk for lower back injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveframe structureVSAvoidlower back injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies ergonomic design principles by inverting the typical heavy equipment handling approach. Instead of requiring firefighters to lift and carry heavy blowers, the support frame with perpendicular wheels enables the blower to be rolled into position, eliminating the need for strenuous manual handling and reducing lower back injury risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS11624471B2Support frame for positive pressure blower

Publication Date: 2023.04.11 TEMPEST TECHNOLOGIES INC

AI summary

The present invention provides support frames for positive pressure blowers having one or more wheels mounted at a lower corner of the frame, wherein the wheels are mounted to roll in a direction that is perpendicular to the flow of air through the blower. This sideways orientation of the wheels allows a frame carrying a blower to be easily moved from side to side, such as when placed into or removed from a side compartment on an emergency vehicle, and allows such a frame carrying a blower to be easily tilted, turned and rolled around at the scene of a fire in much the same manner as a wheelbarrow. Embodiments of the invention may include an upper handle or grip which allows a user to control the frames by tilting and rolling them around on the wheels. Embodiments of the invention may include a support bracket for holding a battery or other power supply.