Spring-Loaded Manhole Pick Hole Guard
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manhole covers' pick holes are often used to dispose of hazardous waste, posing health and environmental risks, and existing solutions like plugs are inconvenient, expensive to implement, or prone to loss and damage.
Innovation Solution
Spring-loaded pick hole guards that require a tool to access, automatically closing to prevent unwanted intrusion and designed to deflect or break needles, eliminating the need for tracking and replacing plugs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pick holes are provided in manhole covers for lifting, then authorized personnel can access manholes, but hazardous waste can be disposed of through these openings
Solution Approach 1:
The pick hole guard is designed as a movable component that can shift between blocking and non-blocking positions. It is spring-loaded to automatically return to the blocking position after being displaced by a lifting tool, providing dynamic protection that adapts to different operational states while preventing waste disposal
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded mechanism provides automatic self-service functionality where the guard member self-activates to block the pick hole after a tool is removed. This eliminates the need for manual intervention to restore protection, and the spring force automatically resets the guard without requiring tracking or replacement like plug systems
2Object-affected harmful factors
If plug systems are used to seal pick holes, then waste disposal is prevented, but the plugs must be tracked and replaced which is inconvenient and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded guard member automatically returns to the blocking position after being displaced, providing self-resetting protection without requiring manual intervention, tracking, or replacement. This eliminates the complexity associated with plug management
Solution Approach 2:
The guard member is designed as a durable, reusable component that remains attached to the manhole cover indefinitely, replacing the need for disposable or temporary plugs that must be tracked and replaced
3Ease of operation
If the guard member is held in a non-blocking position, then access to pick hole is easy, but hazardous waste can be inserted into the manhole
Solution Approach 1:
The guard member dynamically transitions between blocking and non-blocking states based on applied force. During authorized lifting operations, it moves to the non-blocking position; during normal conditions, it remains in the blocking position to prevent waste insertion
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded mechanism applies preliminary blocking force to prevent waste insertion before any attempt is made to access the pick hole. The guard must be actively displaced by a proper lifting tool, creating a preliminary barrier against unauthorized or harmful actions
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a tool is required to deflect the guard member, then casual waste disposal is prevented, but authorized access becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded guard member applies preliminary resistance force that prevents casual waste disposal attempts. However, this same mechanism is designed to be deflectable by authorized lifting tools, creating a selective barrier that stops unauthorized actions while allowing legitimate operations
Solution Approach 2:
The spring force is calibrated to create a specific resistance parameter that deters casual waste disposal but can be overcome by authorized tools. This parameter change allows the system to differentiate between harmful and authorized actions based on the magnitude of applied force
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
Effectively prevents casual disposal of hazardous waste into manhole covers while being cost-effective and easy to implement on existing infrastructure, reducing maintenance hassles and environmental risks.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member, such as a spring, that is connected to the movable guard member and that is biased to move the movable guard member toward the pick hole
Implementation Method 2
a push rod that has a lower end portion spaced-apart from the manhole cover when the pick hole guard is in the guarding position. The push rod can be used to displace the movable guard member and compress the biasing member
Data Source
AI summary
Pick hole guards are provided for use in guarding pick holes on manhole covers. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the pick hole guards can have a base, biasing member, and guard member. The biasing member can be attached to the base and guard member, and can bias the guard member toward a pick hole on the manhole cover to guard the pick hole. In other embodiments, the pick hole guards do not have movable guard members, but instead have retaining surfaces to serve as a receptacle for catching waste disposed through a pick hole.