Collapsible Step Ladder With Handrails And Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional step ladders are not suitable for physically limited users, such as the elderly, due to wide step spacing and lack of supportive features, making it difficult for them to climb safely.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible step ladder with closely spaced steps, a pair of handrails for grip, and a support for leaning, allowing users to easily ascend and descend while providing stability and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional step ladder with wide step spacing is used, then ladder structure is simple and compact, but physically limited users cannot climb it safely
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder is divided into multiple segments including front legs, back legs, steps, handrails, and support structures. Each segment can be independently positioned and adjusted to create closely spaced steps while maintaining structural integrity through hinge connections between segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds dimensional elements (handrails and support structures) that extend laterally from the ladder legs, creating a three-dimensional support system. This adds spatial dimensions for grip and leaning support without significantly increasing the vertical footprint or overall complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If collapsible design is added to enable storage, then storage convenience is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder employs dynamic hinge connections between front legs and back legs, allowing the structure to transition between deployed and collapsed states. The hinges enable controlled movement while maintaining stability during use, and the collapsible design allows compact storage without requiring additional complex mechanisms.
3Reliability
If handrails and support structures are added, then safety and stability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handrails and support structures are merged with the ladder legs through integrated hinge connections. The handrails are coupled to the front legs, and the support structures are attached between the legs, combining multiple safety functions into a unified structure that does not significantly increase component count or overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible step ladder device includes a step ladder that has a pair of front legs each hingedly coupled to a pair of back legs to facilitate the step ladder to be positioned between a deployed position or a stored position. The step ladder including a plurality of steps each pivotally attached to the pair of front legs. Each of the plurality of steps is horizontally oriented when the step ladder is in the deployed position to be stepped upon by a user climbing the step ladder. The step ladder includes a pair of handrails which can be gripped by the user when the user is climbing the step ladder to assist climbing the step ladder. A support is attached between the pair of front legs to facilitate the user to lean against the support when the user has climbed the step ladder.