Foldable Ladder Access Control for Pivoting Working Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current access systems for working machines with pivotable upper and lower carriages are non-ergonomic and pose safety concerns for ascending and descending, as they require significant mobility and do not ensure safe access to the cabin.
Innovation Solution
A foldable ladder system with a control system that aligns the upper and lower carriages before allowing access, ensuring the ladder does not interfere with the machine's movement and includes sensors to prevent movement when misalignment or obstacles are detected, allowing for safe and ergonomic access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed ladder system is used for access to the cabin, then the access structure is simple and robust, but the system does not adapt to the pivotable carriage configuration and creates safety hazards during machine movement
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder system is made dynamically adaptable through automatic positioning that responds to the relative angular position of the upper and lower carriages. The control system continuously monitors carriage alignment and adjusts ladder position accordingly, transforming a static structure into a dynamic system that adapts to changing machine configurations during pivoting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through alignment sensors that detect the relative angular position of the carriages. This feedback information is processed by the control system to determine whether the ladder should be positioned for access or retracted to avoid interference, enabling safe operation during both stationary access and dynamic pivoting phases.
2Ease of operation
If the ladder is positioned to provide access to the upper carriage, then ergonomic access is enabled, but the ladder may interfere with the pivoting and moving of the working machine
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder transitions between static access position and dynamic retracted position based on real-time detection of machine movement states. During pivoting operations, the ladder is automatically retracted to eliminate interference, while during stationary phases, it extends to provide ergonomic access, thus resolving the conflict between accessibility and movement safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs preliminary positioning of the ladder based on predicted or detected machine state changes. Before pivoting begins or is detected, the ladder is automatically retracted to the safe position, preventing interference before it can occur. This preliminary action ensures both ergonomic access during stationary phases and safety during movement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ladder is made movable to enable storage between carriages, then space efficiency and safety during movement are improved, but the system complexity increases with control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder system operates autonomously through self-positioning based on automatic detection of carriage alignment and machine state. The control system monitors sensor inputs and automatically actuates the ladder to appropriate positions without requiring manual intervention, enabling complex adaptive behavior through relatively simple automated control logic that reduces operational complexity despite increased mechanical capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A stair system for a working machine having an upper carriage and a lower carriage pivotable against each other includes a foldable ladder movable between an upper end position and a lower end position, wherein in the upper end position the ladder is arrangeable at the working machine in a way that moving and pivoting of the working machine is not disturbed and wherein in the lower end position the ladder is able to provide access to the upper carriage, such as to a cabin, of the working machine; a control system comprising at least one alignment sensor indicating alignment of the upper and lower carriage and a controller which is able to block or enable a movement of the foldable ladder based on an output of the alignment sensor.