Ladder Safety Control Unit with Mode Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rescue ladder accidents occur when operators extend or retract ladder segments hastily during rescue missions, leading to injuries, as existing safety measures are often ignored in chaotic situations, and current safety devices do not effectively prevent mounting the ladder during motion.
Innovation Solution
A safety device with a control unit that can be switched between locked and unlocked modes, featuring display means and signal systems to inform users of the operating mode, ensuring the ladder cannot be moved in the locked mode and preventing use during extension or retraction, with separate control elements and displays at multiple platforms to ensure safety awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the ladder is extended or retracted quickly to reach the rescue cage, then the response time is reduced, but the risk of injury from persons being trapped between moving rungs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is equipped with a locked mode that prevents movement commands from being executed. Before the ladder can be extended or retracted, the operator must first switch from locked mode to unlocked mode, ensuring that no one is in danger zone. This preliminary blocking action eliminates the risk of trapping persons while maintaining the ability to quickly extend the ladder when safe.
2Device complexity
If control elements are provided only at the foot of the ladder, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to control the ladder from the rescue cage is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The control elements for switching between locked and unlocked modes are distributed to multiple locations: both at the foot of the ladder and at the rescue cage. This segmentation allows the operator to control the ladder's movement state from either location, providing flexibility and adaptability while maintaining relatively simple control elements at each location.
3Ease of operation
If the ladder movement is not restricted, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety of persons near the ladder is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically switches between locked mode and unlocked mode based on operator input and safety conditions. In locked mode, movement is blocked for safety; in unlocked mode, full operation freedom is restored. This dynamic state change allows the system to adapt between safety assurance and ease of operation as needed, rather than being fixed in one state.
4Loss of information
If display means are added to indicate the operating mode, then the safety information transmission is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display means uses color-coded visual signals to indicate the operating mode: one color (e.g., green) indicates locked mode where movement is blocked, another color (e.g., red) indicates unlocked mode where movement is permitted. This color-change approach transmits safety information clearly and intuitively while adding minimal complexity to the device, as it relies on simple visual indicators rather than complex display systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a safety device for a ladder set (10) with a plurality of telescopically extendable ladder parts, comprising a control unit for controlling the movement of the ladder parts and control means for delivering control commands to the control unit. The safety device according to the invention is characterised in that the control unit can be switched between two operating modes, namely a locked mode, in which movement of the ladder parts relative to each other is locked, and an unlocked mode in which the lock is cancelled. The safety device comprises control elements for changing between the operating modes of the control unit and display means (28) for displaying the current operating mode of control unit (22), said display means being disposed separately from the control elements.