Edge-Anchored Ladder Rack Minimizes Rooftop Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ladder racks for utility vehicles occupy significant rooftop space, making it incompatible with the installation of other equipment like aerial lifts or rooftop air conditioners, and often obstruct the operation of sliding doors when installed on the side of the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A ladder rack design that anchors only along a single edge of the rooftop, using parallel bars to distribute the ladder's weight without traversing the rooftop surface, allowing the remaining space to be used for other equipment and ensuring the sliding door can be opened without obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ladder rack is installed on the rooftop using conventional methods, then the ladder can be securely held, but the rooftop space is significantly occupied, making it incompatible with other equipment installation
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder rack is segmented into multiple components: a mounting assembly with anchors embedded in the rooftop edge, a horizontal bar extending from the mounting assembly, and a ladder holder attached to the bar. This segmentation allows the rack to be distributed across different spatial zones, minimizing concentrated rooftop occupation while maintaining structural integrity and ladder security.
Solution Approach 2:
The ladder rack transitions from a traditional two-dimensional rooftop surface occupation to a three-dimensional configuration that extends laterally beyond the rooftop edge. The horizontal bar and ladder holder project outward, utilizing the vertical and lateral dimensions rather than consuming rooftop surface area, thereby enabling other equipment to be installed on the rooftop.
2Area of stationary object
If the ladder rack is installed on the side of the vehicle, then the rooftop space is freed up, but the sliding door operation is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The rooftop edge acts as an intermediary mounting location between the rooftop surface and the side of the vehicle. By anchoring the ladder rack to the edge rather than the side surface, the design preserves rooftop availability while positioning the ladder holder in a location that does not interfere with sliding door operation, as the ladder is held outward and away from the door path.
3Strength
If the ladder rack extends over the rooftop surface, then the ladder can be supported, but the driver's view is obstructed and vehicle paint finish may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder support function is extracted from the rooftop surface and relocated to the rooftop edge and lateral space. The mounting assembly anchors to the edge, the horizontal bar extends outward, and the ladder holder positions the ladder away from the rooftop surface, thereby eliminating view obstruction and paint damage risks while maintaining support capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A ladder rack for supporting a ladder on a vehicle. The ladder rack comprises a supporting arrangement anchored only along a single edge area of a rooftop, the supporting arrangement comprising a first load-bearing member entirely extending over the rooftop within an edge of the rooftop and a second load-bearing member extending substantially parallel to the first load-bearing member with a lateral offset, outside the rooftop and away from the edge of the rooftop. A ladder-supporting arrangement holds the ladder and connects to the first load-bearing member and to the first load-bearing member for supporting a weight of the ladder. The remainder of the rooftop surface is exempt of any member and is free for other purposes. The ladder is held on a side of the vehicle with an offset to be able to open a sliding door on the same side of the vehicle as the ladder rack.