Hinged Manhole Cover Mechanism for Single-Operator Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manhole covers are heavy, making them difficult to handle manually, pose safety risks due to weight and shape incompatibility with safety standards, and are often custom-built with materials different from the surrounding pavement, limiting their size and increasing transport costs.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism for lifting and horizontally translating manhole covers using telescopic guides and a driving arrangement, allowing single-person operation, reducing weight through a composite material design, and ensuring stable opening/closing to prevent accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the cover size is increased to cover larger openings, then the coverage area is improved, but the weight increases making manual handling impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is divided into multiple sections that can be moved independently. Each section is lighter and can be handled by a single operator, while collectively they cover the entire opening area. The hinged connection allows sections to be lifted and rotated separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover transitions from a static, fixed position to a dynamic, movable state through hinged connections. The cover can be rotated and lifted along a defined path, enabling single-operator handling of large-area covers that would otherwise be too heavy to move.
2Ease of operation
If manual lifting tools are used to move heavy covers, then the cover can be moved, but the operator effort and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hinged cover system allows the cover to be lifted and rotated along a controlled arc path. The hinge acts as a fulcrum, reducing the effort needed compared to vertical lifting. The cover moves dynamically from closed to open position without requiring manual tools or multiple operators.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinged mechanism enables the cover to be opened and closed by a single operator through simple rotational motion. The system is self-sufficient, requiring no external lifting tools, auxiliary equipment, or multiple operators to handle the cover safely.
3Strength
If cast iron material is used for the cover, then the strength and durability are improved, but the weight increases and transport costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite or alternative materials (such as reinforced polymers, aluminum alloys, or fiber-reinforced composites) that provide the necessary structural strength and durability while significantly reducing the weight compared to traditional cast iron. This allows large-area covers to be handled easily without compromising strength.
4Ease of operation
If the cover is made with multiple sections hinged together, then the handling is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is segmented into multiple sections connected by hinges, allowing each section to be moved independently. This segmentation simplifies operation by enabling single-operator handling while the modular design keeps the overall structure relatively simple and maintainable.
Data Source
AI summary
A cover (1) for manholes or traps is described, equipped with a mechanism for lifting and horizontally translating the cover (1), the mechanism being actuated through actuating means (10, 11, 12), and being adapted to automatically lift and afterwards horizontally translate or rotate the cover (1) to which it is operatively connected in order to completely open the manhole or trap.