Foldable Elevator Pit Deck Device for Safe Ladder Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator maintenance methods require cumbersome and hazardous approaches to access the pit ladder, posing risks to maintenance professionals and the public due to the distance and fall hazards involved.
Innovation Solution
A deck device with a foldable platform that moves between a stored position and an operational position, allowing safe and efficient access to the pit ladder by extending between the elevator landing sill and the wall adjacent to the pit ladder, while disabling elevator operation during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pit ladder is used to descend the elevator pit, then access to the pit is enabled, but fall hazards and safety risks increase due to the great depth of the elevator pit
Solution Approach 1:
The deck device serves as an intermediary platform between the elevator landing sill and the pit ladder. It provides a stable intermediate surface that eliminates the need to directly descend into the deep pit, thereby reducing fall hazards while maintaining access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The deck device is a temporary, deployable structure that is only activated when pit access is required. It can be quickly deployed and retracted, providing safety only when needed, rather than being a permanent structural modification to the elevator shaft.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the platform is extended to provide safe access, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for movable and deployable mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The platform transitions from a static structure to a dynamic, movable structure that can extend and retract. This allows the safety feature to be activated only when needed, reducing the perceived complexity as the mechanism is simple in operation despite its dynamic nature.
Solution Approach 2:
The deck device serves multiple functions: it provides safe access to the pit ladder, acts as a temporary landing platform, and can be integrated with elevator control systems. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing comprehensive safety and operational benefits.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the platform is made retractable to eliminate fall hazards, then safety is improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to the need for remote control or key switch activation
Solution Approach 1:
The deck device can be integrated with the elevator's existing control systems, allowing it to be automatically activated or deactivated based on elevator operational status. This self-service capability reduces the manual effort required while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through key switches and remote controls that provide confirmation of platform status. This feedback ensures operators are aware of the platform's extended or retracted state, compensating for the reduced direct manual control.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the platform is deployed for maintenance access, then safety is improved, but productivity decreases due to the time required for deployment and retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
The platform is pre-positioned in a retracted state within the elevator structure, ready for rapid deployment when needed. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for complex assembly or installation procedures, allowing quick activation during maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The rapid deployable mechanism allows the platform to transition quickly between extended and retracted states. This dynamic capability minimizes the time the platform needs to be deployed, reducing disruption to elevator service while maintaining safety during maintenance access.
Data Source
AI summary
A deck device and a method to access a pit ladder are described. An elevator pit deck device includes a platform configured to move between a stored position and an operational position; the platform installable in a channel; the stored position being a folded or retracted configuration; the platform, when in the operational position, extending between a channel opening and a wall of the channel. In some embodiments, the channel is an elevator hoistway, the channel opening connects the elevator hoistway and an elevator landing sill, the wall of the channel is proximate to a pit ladder, and the pit ladder is extendable towards a pit of the elevator.