Safety Gate Hinge Shielding Stop Plate Pinch Hazards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gate hinges with built-in stops can pose pinch hazards and tripping hazards due to exposed stop plates and mechanisms, which can cause injuries to workers when opening or closing gates, especially in elevated platforms and manufacturing environments.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design featuring a stationary and rotatable portion with coaxial holes and a hinge pin, where stop plates are covered by shields to prevent pinching, allowing controlled rotation and limiting the gate's range of motion while avoiding direct contact with workers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If built-in stops are exposed to limit gate rotation, then the range of motion is controlled, but pinch hazards and tripping hazards are created
Solution Approach 1:
A shield is introduced as an intermediary component between the stop plate and the gate. The shield covers the stop plate during gate operation, preventing direct contact between workers and the stop mechanism. This intermediary element allows the stop plate to perform its function of limiting rotation while eliminating the pinch and tripping hazards it would otherwise create.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the stop plate for limiting rotation, the shield for safety coverage, and the gate for movement. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the stop plate maintains its range-limiting function while the shield provides protective coverage without interfering with the stopping mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If stop plates are used to limit gate rotation, then the range of motion is controlled, but direct contact with workers is possible causing injury
Solution Approach 1:
The shield serves as a protective intermediary that physically separates workers from the stop plate mechanism. During normal gate operation, the shield remains in place between the stop plate and potential contact zones, ensuring that even if the stop plate is engaged, workers cannot directly contact it, thereby maintaining both rotation control and worker safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge apparatus that includes a stationary hinge portion, which includes a first bracket configured to be attached to a fixed surface, a first arm extending from the first bracket, and a second arm extending from the first bracket. The first and second brackets include axial holes with a hinge pin arranged therethrough. The hinge pin defines a rotation axis. The stationary hinge portion also includes a stop plate extending away from the first bracket and connected to the first arm. The hinge apparatus also includes a rotatable hinge portion, which includes a body arranged around the hinge pin between the first and second arms and a stop body extending from the body along the rotation axis. Ends of the stop body contact the stop plate to limit rotation of the body about the rotation axis. A second bracket configured to be attached to a movable body.