Inclined Slats with Variable Width for Cab Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective devices for driver's cab roofs, such as those for handling machines, often compromise driver visibility due to their design and fail to effectively resist heavy falling objects, while also causing dazzling issues from sunlight reflections on control screens.
Innovation Solution
A protective device featuring inclined slats secured to a central spar and side beams, with a structure that widens at the central part, providing uniform mechanical resistance and adjustable inclination to enhance visibility and resist falling objects, while obscuring rear sunlight to prevent overheating and dazzling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If inclined blades are arranged to provide good visibility to the driver, then visibility is improved, but the device fails to effectively resist heavy falling objects
Solution Approach 1:
The blade width is varied along its length, being maximum at the central junction with the spar and decreasing towards the ends. This creates local quality differences where the central region provides enhanced strength for resisting falling objects while the inclined configuration maintains visibility. Each blade has non-uniform cross-section optimized for its specific functional requirements at different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The blades are configured with asymmetric width distribution relative to their length, with the maximum width located at the central junction rather than being uniform or symmetrically distributed. This asymmetric geometry allows the structure to achieve both visibility requirements through inclination and strength requirements through concentrated material at the critical central support junction.
2Ease of manufacture
If uniform blade structure is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but mechanical resistance to falling objects becomes non-uniform across different blades
Solution Approach 1:
The blade cross-sectional parameter (width) is changed along the length of each blade, with maximum width at the central junction and decreasing width towards the ends. This parameter variation ensures that each blade has uniform mechanical resistance characteristics when subjected to falling objects, as the wider central section provides the necessary strength at the critical support junction while maintaining structural efficiency throughout the blade length.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If slats are positioned to block sunlight from the rear, then driver dazzling is prevented, but cabin overheating may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The slat height is specifically dimensioned at different locations to create local quality differences in sunlight blocking. The slats are positioned and sized to obscure sunlight coming from the rear at the driver's eye level, preventing dazzling on the control screen, while allowing controlled sunlight entry at other levels to prevent excessive cabin overheating. This localized optical control addresses different thermal and visual requirements at different positions.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a device to protect against falling objects which is intended in particular for protecting the roof of a driver's cab. The device includes a plurality of slats (4-11) which are tilted to ensure good visibility for the driver. The device includes at least one central stringer (1) to which each tilted slat (4-11, 14-21) is rigidly connected on either side of said at least one central stringer (1).