Emergency Hatch Evacuation System for Multi-Floor Transport Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional emergency evacuation systems in multi-floor transport vehicles, such as railway vehicles, are cumbersome and pose risks due to the need for passengers to break windows and use rope ladders, which are difficult for less athletic or vertigo-prone individuals, leading to slow and hazardous evacuations, especially in emergency situations.
Innovation Solution
A transport vehicle with an emergency hatch on the upper floor that allows quick and safe access to the lower floor, featuring a hinged passage opening with a grab bar for assistance, a locking mechanism for safety, and a support zone below for stable descent, reducing the maximum height to descend to 2 meters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rope ladder is used for emergency evacuation from the upper floor, then passengers can reach the ground, but the evacuation process becomes difficult for less athletic or vertigo-prone individuals and slows down the overall evacuation speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate platform at the blind end of the upper floor that serves as a mediator between the upper and lower floors. This platform provides a stable transition point where passengers can safely move from the upper floor to the lower floor without directly using a rope ladder, making the evacuation process accessible to all passengers including those who are less athletic or prone to vertigo.
2Reliability
If a rope ladder is deployed through a window several meters above the ground, then passengers can evacuate the vehicle, but the layout constraints increase and the evacuation process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rope ladder system from the traditional window deployment and relocates it to be deployed from the intermediate platform. This extraction allows the ladder to serve as a supplementary element rather than the primary evacuation mechanism, reducing the overall system complexity while maintaining evacuation capability.
3Reliability
If passengers must perform multiple steps (grab hammer, break glass, deploy ladder, descend) to evacuate through a window, then the escape route can be provided, but the evacuation time increases and the process becomes more difficult under stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-positioning the intermediate platform at the blind end of the upper floor, which is always accessible regardless of the vehicle's position or orientation. This pre-established structure eliminates the need for passengers to perform complex actions like breaking windows or deploying ladders under stress, as the platform provides immediate access to a safe evacuation route.
4Ease of manufacture
If the emergency exit is located at the blind end of the upper floor, then the layout constraints are reduced, but the maximum descent height is increased posing a greater fall risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the descent into two separate stages: first from the upper floor to the intermediate platform, and then from the platform to the lower floor or ground. This segmentation reduces the maximum descent height at any single point, thereby reducing the fall risk while maintaining layout flexibility at the blind end of the vehicle.
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
A transport vehicle comprising at least one lower floor and at least one upper floor (E2) separated by a horizontal floor (7), the floor (7) having at least one passage opening (70) closed by an emergency hatch (4) adapted to allow the evacuation of at least one passenger located on the upper floor (E2) to the lower floor.