Fall Protection System With Guided Shuttle Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fall protection systems for elevation mechanisms, such as conveyors, do not prevent users from falling off the mechanism, which can result in injuries and precarious situations.
Innovation Solution
A fall protection system that includes a conveyor with channels on either side to anchor shuttles, which are connected to a harness system that maintains the user's center of gravity low and prevents falls by forming a triangular profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lanyard mechanism is used to attach to the elevation mechanism and harness, then the user is protected from falling to the ground, but the user is not prevented from falling off the elevation mechanism which can still cause injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces shuttles as intermediary components that travel within channels on the elevation mechanism. These shuttles connect the user's harness to the elevation mechanism through a guided pathway, preventing the user from falling off the mechanism while maintaining the ability to arrest falls to the ground. The channel acts as a mediator that constrains the movement of the shuttle and user, solving the problem of lateral falls.
2Reliability
If channels are added to anchor shuttles on both sides of the conveyor, then the user is prevented from falling off the elevation mechanism, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The channels serve multiple functions: they guide the shuttles, prevent lateral movement of the user, and provide structural support for the fall protection system. The shuttles simultaneously travel within the channels, connect to the harness, and enable user movement along the conveyor while maintaining safety. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The shuttle is nested within the channel structure, with the channel providing a protective pathway that contains the shuttle's movement. The harness attachment components are nested within or connected to the shuttle, creating a hierarchical structure where each component is contained within or integrated with the previous one, reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A fall protection system includes an elevation mechanism including a base end and an elevated end, and that is configured to permit a user to scale the elevation mechanism. The first channel is disposed at a first side of the elevation mechanism and extends between the base end and the elevated end, and is configured to anchor a first shuttle to the elevation mechanism and permit the first shuttle to transition between the base end and the elevated end of the elevation mechanism. The second channel is disposed at a second side of the elevation mechanism and extends between the base end and the elevated end, and is configured to anchor a second shuttle to the elevation mechanism and permit the second shuttle to transition between the base end and the elevated end of the elevation mechanism.