Hinged Plate Appendage for Sign Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing double-sided signs used for indicating work in progress or danger are impractical and time-consuming to handle, especially when being taken from or returned to trolleys in heavy pedestrian areas, due to the lack of convenient appendages for quick and efficient manipulation.
Innovation Solution
A single flat element 'wing' with a rotating plate hinged along the top edge, which protrudes as an angled appendage when gripped, allowing for easier handling and suspension on trolleys, and additional rims or supports on the trolley for multiple sign hanging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a through hole is used to hang the sign on a trolley, then the sign can be suspended and transported, but the insertion and removal operations are time-consuming and require extra attention
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is made movable relative to the wing, transitioning between a retracted position (when not in use) and a protruding position (when gripping). This dynamic element allows the sign to be easily grabbed by the protruding plate without requiring manual manipulation of the entire sign structure, thereby reducing handling time and effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate acts as an intermediary element between the operator's hand and the sign body. Instead of gripping the sign directly through the opening, the operator grasps the protruding plate, which then facilitates easy suspension and transport. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the interaction and reduces the time required for insertion and removal operations.
2Productivity
If no appendages are added to the sign surfaces, then the signs can be stacked for storage and transport, but handling and suspension become impractical and slow
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to protrude when needed for gripping and retract when not in use. This dynamic characteristic enables the sign to gain handling functionality without permanently increasing its complexity or interfering with stacking capabilities when the plate is retracted.
Solution Approach 2:
The sign is divided into two functional parts: the main wing structure for stacking and storage, and the separate movable plate for handling and suspension. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, maintaining the simplicity of the main structure while adding handling capability through the detachable plate element.
3Ease of operation
If the plate protrudes as an appendage for gripping, then handling and suspension are easier and faster, but the sign occupies more space when stacked
Solution Approach 1:
The plate transitions between protruding and retracted positions. When protruding, it provides easy gripping and suspension; when retracted, it minimizes the sign's volume for compact stacking. This dynamic repositioning allows the same structure to serve both handling and storage requirements without permanently increasing stacking space requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having a fixed protruding appendage that always increases volume, the design inverts the approach by having a retracted element that only protrudes when needed. The plate is normally flush with the wing surface for compact stacking, and only extends outward when gripping is required, effectively reversing the conventional approach of always having visible appendages.
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
Enhances the speed and convenience of handling signs by providing a protruding appendage for secure gripping and hanging, reducing operator effort and time required for placement and retrieval, especially in high-traffic areas like hospital corridors.
Implementation Method 1
a plate entirely hinged along the top edge of an opening, which when not used is hung inside the opening and which, when a hand is put in the opening to grip the sign, rotates towards the inside
Implementation Method 2
the plate has its free end curved downwards so as to get a better grip corresponding to a type of anchorage
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a sign where one of the wing elements (6,7) that are hinged to each other like a book has a hinged plate (10) on the upper edge of its opening (9) for gripping, and that said protruding plate (10) creates an appendage for hanging the sign itself to an edge or a support of a fixed or mobile load-bearing structure.