Boat Ladder Standoff Cable Assembly to Prevent Step Twisting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable ladders for boats lack stability and require repositioning for multiple users, posing safety risks and inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A portable ladder with standoffs featuring treads, elbows, and standoff cable assemblies that secure to the boat, maintaining horizontal alignment and preventing twisting, allowing multiple ladders to be stored compactly and deployed simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If portable ladders use simple hooks or ropes for attachment, then portability and ease of storage are improved, but stability and safety are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder is divided into multiple steps (2-5 steps) with each step being a separate component that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the ladder to maintain flexibility for portability while each step provides stable contact points for users
Solution Approach 2:
The standoff cable assemblies are pre-configured with adjustable cables that can be tensioned before use. The standoffs are positioned to contact the boat surface in advance, creating preliminary stability before the user ascends the ladder
2Device complexity
If a single ladder is used, then simplicity is improved, but accessibility for multiple users is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder design with standardized cable assemblies and standoffs can be deployed in multiple locations around the boat simultaneously. Each ladder unit is self-contained and can be independently installed, allowing multiple users to access the boat from different positions at the same time
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable cable lengths and positioning capabilities allow the ladder configuration to be dynamically adapted to different boat types and usage scenarios, enabling flexible deployment for multiple users with different needs
3Reliability
If standoffs contact the boat surface, then stability is improved, but twisting of steps under load is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The standoffs are positioned asymmetrically at different locations along the ladder structure, with varying lengths to accommodate different contact points on the boat surface. This asymmetric configuration prevents uniform twisting forces from affecting all steps equally
Solution Approach 2:
The standoff cable assemblies act as intermediary elements between the ladder steps and the boat surface. These cables provide flexible yet firm connection, allowing the standoffs to contact the boat for stability while the cables absorb and distribute twisting forces to prevent step misalignment
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a portable ladder with standoffs. The ladder has several steps, each having a tread, two elbows and two standoffs. The user uses the treads to ascend the ladder. The standoffs have distal ends that contact the boat for stability. A tread cable assembly secures the ladder to the boat and supports the treads in a selected maximum spaced relationship. Two standoff cable assemblies are also provided. Each standoff cable assembly has sections that supports the distal standoff ends (adjacent the boat) in selected maximum space relationships. The standoffs and treads maximum spaced relationship are the same so that twisting if the steps is prevented during use.