Modular Staircase Slide Segmentation for Easy Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing staircase slides are cumbersome to install and remove, require permanent or semi-permanent attachment, and are not adaptable to varying staircase dimensions, leading to safety hazards and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A modular slide system comprising interchangeable slide modules with gripping surfaces and ramp sections that can be easily installed and extended to fit any staircase height or number of steps, using a polymeric material for durability and lightness, allowing for secure frictional mounting without additional hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional staircase slides are installed using permanent or semi-permanent attachment methods, then the slide is securely fixed to the staircase, but the installation process becomes tedious and difficult, and removal becomes problematic due to size, length, weight, or component quality
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is divided into multiple modular sections that can be independently installed and removed. Each module contains integrated mounting mechanisms that simplify attachment and detachment processes, allowing easy reconfiguration without complex installation procedures while maintaining secure fixation during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system transitions from static permanent attachment to dynamic reversible connection. The modular design with integrated mounting mechanisms allows the slide to be easily installed and removed based on user needs, providing adaptability while maintaining reliability during operation through friction-based or mechanical locking interfaces.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional slides are designed for mounting on a staircase, then they provide stable installation, but they are difficult to remove and become a safety hazard when left on the stairs
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is segmented into modular units that can be easily assembled and disassembled. This allows the slide to be completely removed from the staircase when not in use, eliminating the safety hazard of improper placement while maintaining stable installation during use through integrated mounting mechanisms in each module.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design enables easy disassembly and storage of slide components. When not in use, the slide modules can be completely removed from the staircase and stored elsewhere, eliminating safety hazards. The integrated mounting mechanisms ensure stable attachment when installed, and the system allows for complete recovery and storage of components.
3Ease of operation
If a single long slide is used to cover the entire staircase, then it provides continuous sliding surface, but it is cumbersome to move about the house and takes up undesirable amount of space
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is divided into multiple compact modular sections that can be easily moved and stored. When assembled, these modules form a continuous sliding surface covering the staircase. When disassembled, the individual modules are compact enough to be easily transported and stored in small spaces, solving both mobility and space occupation problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular slide sections are designed to nest within each other when disassembled, similar to nested dolls. This nesting capability allows the slide components to be compactly stored in a minimal space when not in use, while forming a continuous long sliding surface when assembled on the staircase.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If traditional slides are made from durable materials, then they provide long-lasting use, but they become heavy and difficult to relocate
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is divided into modular sections that can be independently handled and relocated. Each module uses durable materials for long-lasting use, but the segmented design reduces the weight of individual components, making them easier to move and reposition compared to a single heavy slide of equivalent total length.
Solution Approach 2:
The slide modules use composite materials that provide durability and longevity while maintaining lower weight. These composite materials allow the slide to have long service life comparable to traditional heavy slides, but with reduced weight that facilitates easy relocation and reconfiguration of the modular sections.
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 modular slide system provides a safe, durable, and versatile recreational product that is easy to install, move, and adapt to different staircases, offering a cost-effective solution with enhanced user safety and adaptability.
Implementation Method 1
a gripping surface on an underside of the first slide module interfaces with a tread of the first step or stair
Data Source
AI summary
A modular slide for use on a staircase includes at least a first slide module with an entry section having an entry surface defining a seat and a gripping surface substantially opposite the entry surface. The modular slide also has a ramp section with an elongated surface extending from the entry section towards a terminal end of the ramp section, an underside being configured to rest upon portions of the staircase, and two opposing sidewalls spanning both the ramp section and the entry section and having an upper edge defining a handrail. An identical second slide module is configured to overlap and integrate with an upper portion of the first slide module to form a continuous slide surface and a continuous handrail of an extended modular slide.