Foldable Ladder with Parallel Frames and Snap-Fit Steps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable ladders face challenges due to the inclined arrangement of their legs, leading to varying step sizes, increased production costs, and potential safety hazards during transportation and use, as well as instability and deformation issues.
Innovation Solution
A foldable ladder design featuring two parallel ladder frames with frame hinge assemblies, balancing members, and snap-fit notches, allowing for uniform step sizes, improved stability, and compact storage, while ensuring secure connection and easy transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the ladder legs are arranged obliquely to improve stability, then the center of gravity is lowered and stability is improved, but the step sizes become different at different heights and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by arranging the ladder legs in a parallel configuration rather than the conventional oblique arrangement. This symmetric parallel structure ensures that steps at different heights maintain uniform dimensions, eliminating the need for multiple molds and reducing production costs while still achieving stability through the parallel leg design and hinge assembly mechanism.
2Ease of manufacture
If different sized steps are used to match the oblique ladder legs, then the ladder can be assembled, but the folding space for each step must be reserved according to the largest step size, causing shaking during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing localized support through the hinge assembly and balancing member mechanism. The hinge assembly with balancing member provides dynamic support that adapts to each step's position, ensuring that even with uniform step sizes, the structural integrity is maintained during both extended and folded states, preventing shaking and deformation during transportation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the ladder legs are arranged obliquely, then the overall center of gravity is lower, but the spacing between steps gradually decreases from bottom to top which is contrary to conventional cognition and creates safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies equipotentiality by creating equal spacing between all steps through the parallel leg arrangement. This ensures that each step is uniformly distributed along the ladder height, making the spacing consistent and predictable for users. The parallel leg structure with hinge assemblies maintains this uniform spacing while the balancing member ensures stable center of gravity, eliminating the safety hazards associated with decreasing step spacing.
4Ease of manufacture
If parallel ladder frames are used to maintain uniform step sizes, then production cost is reduced, but the connection between components requires frame hinge assemblies and locking devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining the hinge function and locking function into an integrated frame hinge assembly. The frame hinge assembly includes a locking device that works together with the balancing member to provide both rotational movement and secure locking in a single integrated mechanism, reducing the number of separate components needed while maintaining the parallel leg structure for uniform step sizes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves stability during use, compact storage, and ease of transportation by maintaining uniform step sizes, reducing production costs, and enhancing safety through synchronized step operation and shockproof features.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of frame hinge assemblies (14) are arranged between the two ladder frames, and the pair of frame hinge assembly (14) are relatively arranged on the two ladder legs (10) of the ladder frame
Implementation Method 2
a balancing member (5) are provided on the frame hinge assembly (14), one end of the balancing member (5) is hinged with one frame hinge assembly (14), and the other end of the balancing member (5) is connected with another frame hinge assembly (14) in a locking manner
Implementation Method 3
the ladder leg (10) is further provided with a locking device for the balancing member (5)
Implementation Method 4
A foldable ladder design featuring two parallel ladder frames with frame hinge assemblies, balancing members, and snap-fit notches, allowing for uniform step sizes, improved stability, and compact storage
Data Source
AI summary
A folding ladder comprising two ladder frames rotatably connected by two oppositely arranged frame hinge assemblies at the top, the ladder frames each including two parallel ladder legs, and several ladder frames; the frame hinge assembly is provided with a balancing member, one end of the balancing member is hinged with one frame hinge assembly, and the other end is connected with another frame hinge assembly in a locking manner; each step comprises hinged left and right step sections, the tops of the two ends of each step are is with snap-fit notches, so that the steps do not collide with the legs during the rotation process, the steps are in contact with the legs in both the unfolded and folded states, which makes the overall structure compact and has better shockproof effect, which is convenient for the transportation of the whole folding ladder.