Grating Support Bar With Coupled Cover Elements for Visible Warnings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gratings, such as those used in swimming pools, often fail to effectively warn users of potential hazards due to insufficiently noticeable safety markings, which can lead to accidents.
Innovation Solution
A support bar design with extensions that can be coupled with cover elements, allowing direct application of safety information and warnings, ensuring they are not easily overlooked.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If information signs are placed on the floor in front of the grating, then hazard warning information can be provided, but the information is often not sufficiently noticed and may be completely missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions safety information from a separate location (floor in front of grating) to the grating surface itself, changing the spatial dimension where warnings are displayed. This integrates hazard information directly into the hazard area, making it unavoidable and ensuring continuous visibility to users approaching the grating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by placing safety information specifically on the grating surface at the hazard location rather than at a separate location. This ensures that the warning information is locally positioned where it is most needed - directly at the hazard point - making it impossible to miss when approaching the area.
2Loss of information
If cover elements are used to cover extensions of support bars, then safety information can be applied directly to the grating, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover element serves multiple functions: it provides a surface for applying safety information, maintains the structural integrity of the grating by covering the support bar extension, and preserves the walkable surface functionality. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each purpose.
Solution Approach 2:
The grating is segmented into modular components (support bars with extensions and separate cover elements) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows the cover elements to be standardized while accommodating different safety information requirements, managing complexity through modularity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a support bar (1) for a grating (2). The invention also relates to a method for attaching information to a grating (2).The support bar (1) extends along a longitudinal axis (3) from a first support bar end (4) to a second support bar end (5), wherein the longitudinal axis (3) lies in a horizontal plane (6) in an installation position of the support bar (1), and which support bar (1) has extensions (7) on one side, which extensions (7) each have a top surface (8), which top surfaces (8) form a walkable surface of a grating (2) in the installation position of the support bar (1). It is provided that the support bar (1) has a first coupling area (9) with a first coupling surface (10), which first coupling area (9) is designed such that the first coupling surface (10) can be coupled with a second coupling surface (11) of a second coupling area (12) of a cover element (13), so that the top surface (8) of an extension (7) is covered by the cover element (13).