Ride-along Conveyor Hand Protection via Protective Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ride-along ground conveyor vehicles pose a risk of hand injury to drivers when operating controls in narrow spaces due to exposure to external objects, with existing safety arrangements often leading to pinching or impact hazards.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a protective wall section within the support means that extends to shield the driver's hands while maneuvering controls, attached to the conveyor vehicle's chassis via a rod, ensuring hands remain within a protected area, preventing exposure to external objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the driver operates control means in narrow alleys, then the driver can maneuver the conveyor vehicle, but the driver's hand is exposed to external objects causing injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
A protective wall section is introduced as an intermediary element between the driver's hand and external objects. This protective wall extends from the support means to create a physical barrier that shields the hand while allowing the driver to operate the control means mounted on the support means.
2Reliability
If protective side support means are provided, then the driver is protected from falling and impacts, but the hand may be pinched between the protective side support and external objects
Solution Approach 1:
The protective structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: the support means (bars or protective gates) provide structural support and fall protection, while the separately positioned protective wall section provides hand protection. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific protective function without creating pinching hazards between components.
3Ease of operation
If control means are integrated in side support means, then the driver can operate controls while standing on platform, but the hand is exposed to impact hazards from surrounding objects
Solution Approach 1:
The protective wall section extends in a new spatial dimension - vertically upward from the support means. This vertical extension creates a protective enclosure space that shields the hand from lateral impacts from surrounding objects while maintaining the driver's standing position and access to controls.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A ride-along ground conveyor vehicle (1) comprising: - a platform (10) for a driver (20) of the conveyor vehicle (1); - at least a first support means (50) extending along at least a portion of a side (12, 13, 14) of the platform (10) and configured to support the driver (20) on the platform (10); - at least one control means (40) for controlling driving direction and/or velocity of the conveyor vehicle (1) and configured to be manually maneuvered by the driver (20), wherein the control means (40) is arranged in the support means (50) wherein the support means (50) comprises a protective wall section (54) having an outer side (56) facing away from the conveyor vehicle (1), wherein the protective wall section (54) extends, in respect to the control means (40), such that the protective wall section (54) protects a hand (21) of the driver (20) when maneuvering the control means (40).