Modular C-Shaped Barrier Frame for Lift Shaft Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building sites pose safety hazards due to open ledges and floors without barriers, and concealed hazards like lift shaft openings, where existing solutions like safety harnesses and temporary doors are either impractical or obstruct access for work.
Innovation Solution
A modular, C-shaped frame barrier system that can be easily transported and assembled to cover large openings like lift shafts, featuring separable parts, secure clamping, and a specific gate locking mechanism to ensure safe access while preventing accidental opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a large frame is used to cover a large opening like a lift shaft, then the coverage area is improved, but the ease of transportation deteriorates because the frame becomes too large to fit through doorways
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into multiple separable parts that can be transported independently through doorways and then assembled together at the installation site to form a complete large-frame barrier
Solution Approach 2:
The gate structures are designed to nest within the frame components during transportation, with gates fitting inside the C-shaped frame parts, allowing compact storage and easy transport before deployment
2Reliability
If a temporary door is used to cover a lift shaft opening, then the safety is improved, but the access for work deteriorates because the door blocks entry to the shaft
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system incorporates gates that can be dynamically opened and closed, allowing workers to access the lift shaft when needed while maintaining safety when the gates are closed, rather than using a fixed permanent door
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier structure serves multiple functions: it provides safety coverage for the opening, allows controlled access for workers through openable gates, and can be removed or repositioned as needed, making it suitable for both safety and access requirements
3Reliability
If a permanent door is installed to cover an opening, then the safety is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates because the door cannot be easily removed or repositioned
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier is constructed from modular separable parts including frame sections and gates that can be easily assembled and disassembled, allowing the structure to be repositioned or removed as construction needs change while maintaining safety when installed
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier system transitions from a static permanent door to a dynamic temporary structure that can be installed, removed, and repositioned as needed during construction, providing adaptability while maintaining safety coverage
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a barrier 1 comprising a frame 100 and a mounting means for temporarily attaching the frame 100 to part of a building 300 so that the barrier lies in front of a doorway or similar opening in the building 300. The frame 100 defines an aperture which is closed by at least two main gates 210/220, 230. The main gates 210/220, 230 are openable to allow a person to pass through the aperture, and the main gates 210/220, 230 are removably mountable on the frame 100. The frame 100 is in at least two parts 110, 120, the parts being separably connected together, each part 110, 120 of the frame being of smaller overall dimensions than the frame 100.