Ladder Movable Arm Wheel Transport Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The task of moving long, heavy ladders in the service and construction industries is difficult and often results in injuries, as it typically requires a single person to handle and transport the ladder, which can be challenging due to its size and weight, especially when removing it from vehicles or roofs.
Innovation Solution
A ladder with a movable arm and wheels that can be positioned to facilitate easy transport by rotating between parallel and perpendicular orientations to the stiles, allowing the ladder to be rolled on wheels while maintaining stability and collapsing for storage or use without interfering with the ladder's functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a ladder is made long and heavy for structural stability, then it can support workers and tools effectively, but it becomes difficult and dangerous to transport
Solution Approach 1:
A wheeled transportation device is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the worker and the heavy ladder. The device includes a frame with wheels that can be positioned under the ladder, allowing a single worker to easily transport the heavy ladder by pulling or guiding it on the wheels, eliminating the need to manually lift or carry the ladder.
Solution Approach 2:
The transportation device is designed to be movable and adaptable rather than fixed. The frame can be positioned and repositioned under the ladder as needed, and the device itself moves on wheels. This dynamic design allows the transportation system to adapt to different ladder positions and work site requirements while maintaining ease of transport.
2Ease of operation
If a wheeled transportation device is attached to the ladder, then transportation becomes easy, but the device may interfere with the ladder's use when erected
Solution Approach 1:
The wheeled transportation device is designed to be separable from the ladder. After the ladder is erected at the work site, the transportation device can be easily detached and removed from the ladder structure. This ensures that the device does not interfere with the ladder's stability or usability when in use, while still providing transportation assistance during movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The transportation device incorporates movable components that allow it to adapt between transportation mode and storage mode. When not in use, the device can be collapsed or repositioned to minimize its profile and prevent interference with the ladder's erected position, maintaining versatility throughout the workflow.
3Ease of operation
If the transportation device is collapsible for storage, then it can be easily stored when not in use, but the mechanism adds complexity to the device
Solution Approach 1:
The transportation device is divided into separate modular components including a frame, wheels, and attachment mechanisms. Each component can be independently assembled, collapsed, or stored. This segmentation allows the device to be broken down into manageable parts for easy storage while keeping each individual component relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible frame components are designed to nest within each other when collapsed, similar to nested dolls. The smaller components fit within the larger structural elements, maximizing storage efficiency and minimizing the overall storage footprint while maintaining structural integrity during use.
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 simplifies the transportation of ladders by allowing a single person to easily move them across the ground without straining, reducing the risk of injury and enabling efficient deployment and storage without interfering with the ladder's use.
Implementation Method 1
a wheel rotatably attached to the second end... The wheel may be used to transport the ladder across the ground
Data Source
AI summary
A ladder has a pair of parallel stiles and a plurality of rungs extending between the stiles. Midway along the length of the ladder is a pair of moveable arms having a first end rotatably attached to one of the stiles and a pair of wheels rotatably attached to the second ends thereof. The arms are moveable between a first position in which the axis of the arms are generally parallel to the axis of the stiles and the axle for the wheels attached to the second end is adjacent to the stiles, and a second position in which the second end of the arms and the wheels attached thereto are spaced from the stile for rolling the ladder across the ground.