Ladder Upright Cap with Segmented Vacuum Suckers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable ladder solutions, such as those with rubber elements or sucker devices at the lower ends of uprights, often fail to provide sufficient stability, leading to potential accidents due to sliding issues, particularly because older designs are impractical and costly.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a cap with sucker elements at the lower end of portable ladder uprights, featuring a pin and bolt mechanism allowing angular movement and deformable conduits for improved adhesion, combined with radial grooves or low-thickness projections on the sucker elements for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sucker elements are fixed on the cap to strongly adhere to the ground, then adhesion force is improved, but the device becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the adhesion function by providing multiple sucker elements distributed across the cap surface rather than using a single large sucker. This segmentation allows the system to achieve strong overall adhesion while maintaining simplicity in individual component design and enabling easier manufacturing and replacement of individual suckers if needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the cap structure with the mounting mechanism for sucker elements. The cap serves both as the structural component that receives the upright and as the platform that holds and distributes the sucker elements, thereby reducing overall device complexity by combining multiple functions into a single integrated component.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a pin and bolt mechanism is used to allow angular movement, then adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic adaptability by allowing the element to rotate angularly about the upright axis through the pin and bolt mechanism. This enables the element to adapt its orientation to different installation requirements and usage conditions, transitioning from a fixed rigid connection to a dynamically adjustable connection while maintaining 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 solution significantly increases the adhesion force of the sucker elements to the support surface, enhancing the stability and practicality of portable ladders, addressing the limitations of outdated designs.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of sucker elements 9 is provided, which are susceptible to strongly adhere to the ground following the formation of vacuum beneath said elements
Data Source
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AI summary
The model regards a portable ladder, of the type that provides for that at the end (13) of at least one of the uprights thereof there be present a plurality of sucker elements (9), susceptible to adhere strongly to the ground following the formation of vacuum beneath the abovementioned elements. Such ladder is characterised in that, at at least one of said uprights a structure (1) is provided, which comprises a cap (2), at whose concave surface facing towards the surface on which the ladder rests there is fixed a plurality of sucker elements (9). Above said cap an element (3) is arranged to which the end (13) of one of the uprights of the portable ladder can be fixed.