Conduit Bender Rail Holder for Upright Lift Platform Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Workers on lift platforms face challenges with tool storage, as tools are often left on the floor, leading to safety hazards, back injuries, and reduced efficiency due to the need to bend over and limited mobility.
Innovation Solution
The use of conduit bender holders that attach to the upper and lower guard rails of lift platforms, allowing tools to be stored upright and securely, without requiring any hardware modifications to the platform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If tools are left on the floor of the lift platform, then workers can access them freely, but tools are prone to being accidentally kicked off the platform causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves tool storage from the horizontal floor surface to the vertical guard rail structure, utilizing the vertical dimension and perimeter space of the platform. This dimensional transition keeps tools securely attached to the platform structure while maintaining worker accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a holder device as an intermediary component between the tool and the guard rail. This holder acts as a mediator that secures the tool to the platform structure, preventing it from falling while allowing the worker to access the tool through the holder's opening.
2Device complexity
If tools are kept on the floor of the lift platform, then no additional structure is needed, but workers must repeatedly bend over to pick up items leading to back injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates tool storage from the horizontal floor plane to the vertical guard rail plane, changing the spatial dimension. This allows workers to access tools at a more ergonomic height without bending over, as the holder is mounted on the vertical rail structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder is designed to be self-contained and self-supporting on the guard rail, requiring no additional platform modifications. The holder's structure includes its own mounting mechanism that interfaces with the existing guard rail geometry, making the system self-sufficient.
3Ease of operation
If tools are stored on the floor of the lift platform, then space utilization is simple, but more than one worker or safety harness limits mobility when reaching for tools
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is designed with a universal interface that accommodates multiple tool types and can be positioned at various locations on the guard rail. This universal design allows any worker on the platform to access tools from any position without requiring others to move or reposition equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
By mounting the holder on the vertical guard rail rather than the horizontal floor, the system creates a three-dimensional storage solution that is accessible from multiple angles and positions on the platform, improving accessibility for workers with limited mobility.
4Productivity
If tools are left on the floor of the lift platform, then organization is simple, but construction tools need to be organized for efficient job completion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tool storage function into discrete holder units that can be individually positioned on the guard rail. Each holder can contain a specific tool, allowing for organized placement of multiple tools at different locations on the platform, improving both organization and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical mounting on the guard rail creates a structured, organized arrangement of tools at different heights and positions, replacing the disorganized horizontal placement on the floor. This vertical organization system allows for consistent, predictable tool locations that improve workflow efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Conduit bender hanger method and system mountable on upper and lower guard rails of a lift platform includes lower and upper holders that fit over the guard rail of a platform lift and opposing flanges sized so that a conduit bender handle may be inserted between the respective opposing flanges and held in an upright orientation.