Vertically Displaceable Base Plate for Gas Cylinder Pallets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport pallets for compressed gas cylinders pose safety risks during loading due to the need to roll heavy cylinders over inclined ramps and are cumbersome to maneuver, affecting both safety and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A transport pallet with a vertically displaceable base plate that can be fixed in two positions, allowing safe loading without height differences and easy forklift access, utilizing hydraulic lifting devices for vertical displacement, ensuring the base plate can be raised to facilitate forklift insertion during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a solid base plate is used to bear the full weight of the load, then the structural strength is improved, but the overall weight of the transport pallet increases and maneuverability becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate is divided into a modular grid structure composed of multiple interconnected elements. This segmentation allows the load-bearing function to be distributed across multiple components rather than requiring a single solid plate, reducing overall weight while maintaining structural strength through the distributed framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The base plate structure implements local quality by concentrating structural reinforcement only where needed - specifically at the corners and along the perimeter - rather than uniformly throughout the entire plate. This allows the majority of the plate area to use lighter materials while maintaining overall load-bearing capacity.
2Ease of operation
If heavy compressed gas cylinders are rolled over an inclined ramp during loading, then the loading process is simplified, but the safety risk for operating personnel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate is designed with dynamic height adjustment capability, allowing it to be positioned at different vertical levels. During loading, the base plate remains at ground level to eliminate ramps and enable direct placement. For transport, it can be raised to create clearance for forklift insertion. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between safe loading and efficient transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the weight of the loaded cylinders themselves to assist in the loading process. By positioning the base plate at ground level and using vertical guidance rails, the cylinders can be lowered under their own weight or with minimal assistance rather than being pushed up an incline, significantly improving safety while maintaining ease of operation.
3Productivity
If the base plate is raised to a vertical distance for forklift access, then the transport capability is improved, but the height difference creates difficulty in loading the compressed gas bottles
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate's vertical position is made dynamic rather than fixed. It can be adjusted between a low position for loading (minimizing height difference) and a high position for transport (enabling forklift access). This dynamic capability allows the system to optimize for different operational phases, resolving the contradiction between transport capability and loading ease.
4Area of stationary object
If narrow hollow profiles are used for space efficiency, then the space utilization is improved, but the maneuvering effort required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow profiles are designed with locally optimized characteristics - narrower in sections where space is constrained but incorporating structural reinforcements and ergonomic features in areas where handling occurs. This local differentiation allows space efficiency to be maximized without uniformly increasing maneuvering difficulty throughout the entire structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances safety for personnel during loading and improves pallet maneuverability without significantly reducing transport capacity, allowing single-person operation and use in areas without electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic lifting device, in which the lifting effect is achieved by applying a hydraulic fluid conveyed by a hydraulic pump to a reciprocating piston (lifting cylinder)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
To minimize the hazards when loading transport pallets with compressed gas cylinders, a transport pallet (1) according to the invention for compressed gas cylinders comprises a base plate (7) and a frame structure (2) connected to the base plate for securing the compressed gas cylinders against falling out laterally during transport, wherein the base plate (7) is arranged to be vertically displaceable relative to the frame structure (2) and can be fixed in at least two operating positions, wherein in a first operating position the base plate (7) rests on the surface (13) and in a second operating position it has a vertical distance from the surface (13) that allows it to be gripped by a lifting element of a transport vehicle.