Ladder Carrier Frame with Harness for Hands-Free Transport and Seating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electricians face inefficiencies in carrying and using ladders on job sites, leading to increased time and effort due to frequent trips and lack of suitable resting areas, which reduces productivity.
Innovation Solution
A carrier system with a frame that can be coupled with a ladder to support it for carrying and transformed to provide a seating position, allowing hands-free transport and breaks, featuring a harness for secure wearing and adjustable components for versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an electrician carries a ladder manually using hands, then the ladder can be transported, but the electrician cannot carry tools and supplies simultaneously and must make multiple trips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ladder carrier function with a tool bag into a single integrated system. The tool bag is attached to the carrier frame, allowing the electrician to carry both the ladder and tools/supplies simultaneously in one trip, eliminating multiple trips and increasing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier is designed with multi-functionality: it can carry the ladder, attach tool bags for supplies, and provide a seating surface for breaks. This universal design allows one device to fulfill multiple needs that previously required separate items and trips.
2Quantity of substance
If an electrician makes multiple trips between vehicle and work location, then all tools and supplies can be transported, but the time to complete the job increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tool bag is merged with the carrier frame through attachment mechanisms (straps, hooks, or integrated design), enabling all tools and supplies to be transported in a single trip alongside the ladder, eliminating the need for multiple back-and-forth trips.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrician can attach the tool bag to the carrier in advance before leaving the vehicle, preparing all necessary items for the work location ahead of time. This preliminary organization ensures everything is ready for one efficient trip.
3Productivity
If an electrician works without a resting area, then work can continue uninterrupted, but fatigue increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier frame serves dual functions: transporting the ladder during work and providing a seating surface during breaks. The frame's structure (particularly the horizontal members) is designed to support body weight, transforming the carrier into an on-site bench for rest without requiring separate furniture.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier serves the electrician's own needs by providing built-in seating capability. The structure that carries the ladder also becomes the rest surface, allowing the electrician to take breaks at the work location without needing external furniture or making trips back to the vehicle.
4Reliability
If a carrier is designed to hold ladder securely, then ladder transport is stable, but the carrier cannot be used for sitting
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier frame is designed with dynamic adaptability: the same horizontal members that provide stable ladder support can be repositioned or reconfigured to create a seating surface. The frame's geometry and connection points allow it to transition between carrying configuration and seating configuration, serving both functions reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier frame is universally designed to perform both ladder transport and human seating functions. The structural members are sized and positioned to provide stable ladder support while also being capable of supporting body weight when configured as a seat, giving the device versatile adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A carrier comprises a frame coupleable with a ladder in a first position and a second position, and a harness that one can wear to hold the frame to himself/herself. In the first position, the frame supports the ladder when one carries the frame. In the second position, the frame and ladder, together, support one when one sits on the frame. The carrier's frame includes a first member that holds the ladder when the frame is in the first position, and a second member that supports a person sitting on the frame when the frame is in the second position. With the ability to position the carrier's frame in a first position and a second position, one can use the carrier to carry a ladder to and from where one will be working without having to use one or both of one's hands. This allows one to use both hands and/or arms to carry one's tools and supplies to where one will be working. Then, later in the day, one can use the same carrier to sit on while taking a break.