Foldable Elevator Hoistway Work Stage for Fast Safe Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing staging formats for elevator hoistways are expensive, cumbersome, time-consuming to erect and take down, and inherently unsafe, requiring specialized skills for use.
Innovation Solution
A work stage apparatus with a backspan and frame, featuring a lift mechanism, extensible brace, and collapsible stage assembly, designed for easy deployment, portability, and safety without specialized tools or skills.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional staging formats are used for elevator hoistways, then structural stability and worker safety are ensured, but the equipment becomes expensive, cumbersome, and requires specialized skills for erection and dismantling
Solution Approach 1:
The staging system is divided into separate modular components including a backspan, a stage assembly with inner and outer stages, a frame, and a brace. These segments can be independently assembled and disassembled, eliminating the need for specialized skills while maintaining structural integrity. The modular design allows workers to quickly erect and dismantle the staging without requiring expert knowledge of traditional staging formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The stage assembly is designed to be dynamically configurable between different states: the outer stage can be folded or unfolded, and the frame can be positioned in different configurations. This dynamic capability allows the same structure to adapt to different work scenarios while simplifying the assembly process. The brace can be extended or retracted, providing flexibility without requiring complex specialized equipment.
2Strength
If traditional staging formats are used, then structural support is provided, but erection and dismantling become time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The backspan and brace are pre-assembled as a integrated unit before being transported to the work site. The stage assembly is also pre-configured with the inner and outer stages connected. This preliminary assembly reduces on-site erection time significantly, as workers only need to attach the pre-assembled components rather than constructing everything from scratch. The design anticipates the assembly sequence to minimize time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The backspan, brace, and stage assembly are merged into a single integrated system that can be handled as one unit during transport and assembly. This merging eliminates the need to separately assemble multiple independent structures, reducing the overall time required for erection. The integrated design allows for faster deployment while maintaining the structural support necessary for worker safety.
3Ease of operation
If traditional staging formats are used, then worker support is provided, but the equipment becomes cumbersome and portable
Solution Approach 1:
The staging system is segmented into lighter, more manageable components that can be easily transported and assembled. The backspan, stage assembly, and brace are separate modules that can be moved independently, reducing the weight burden on any single component. This segmentation allows the staging to be more portable while still providing adequate worker support when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The stage assembly incorporates dynamic folding mechanisms that allow the outer stage to be collapsed into a compact configuration for transport. This dynamic capability reduces the effective weight and bulk of the staging during movement, making it easier to deploy to different locations. The same structural support is maintained when the stage is unfolded for use, balancing portability with structural integrity.
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 apparatus is inexpensive, easy to construct, portable, and safe, overcoming the deficiencies of prior art staging formats by being easy to use and dismantle.
Implementation Method 1
The lift mechanism is a winch
Implementation Method 2
The lower member and the upper member are joined reciprocally. An adjustment member is rotated to the lower member and operatively coupled between the lower member and the upper member in which rotation of the adjustment member in opposite directions reciprocates the upper member relative to the lower member.
Implementation Method 3
a lock assembly, in which the fixture is enabled for moving into and out of the lowered surface engaging position of the wheel when the lock assembly is in an unlocked position and disabled from moving out of the lowered surface engaging position of the wheel when the lock assembly is in a locked position.
Data Source
AI summary
A work stage apparatus includes a backspan having a rear extremity and an opposed front extremity, and a frame having a stage extending outward from a base mounted to the front extremity for selective movement of the frame between a raised position in which the base extends upright from the front extremity to the stage extending rearward above the backspan and a lowered position in which the base extends downward from the front extremity to the stage extending forward from the base, the stage for supporting a worker at an elevated location when the frame is in the lowered position.