Modular Walkway Assembly with Pivotable Treads for Variable Roof Angles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing walkway assemblies for roofs are costly, time-consuming to design and construct, and pose safety hazards due to their weight and complexity, requiring bespoke on-site construction and extensive measurement, which is challenging in adverse weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A modular walkway assembly with pivotally secured tread modules and adjustable riser units, allowing for pre-formed modules to be constructed off-site and easily adapted on-site to various roof angles, reducing the need for extensive on-site work and minimizing weight and safety hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If bespoke on-site construction is used to accommodate various roof pitch angles and distances, then the walkway can be customized to fit specific requirements, but the on-site construction time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The walkway is divided into modular sections with standardized components (treads, risers, support structures) that can be pre-assembled off-site. These modules can be configured in different combinations to accommodate various roof pitch angles and distances without requiring custom fabrication on-site, thus reducing construction time while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The walkway design incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable elements that allow the same modular components to adapt to different roof pitch angles and span distances. The modules can be dynamically assembled and disassembled to match specific site requirements, eliminating the need for time-consuming bespoke construction while preserving versatility.
2Strength
If traditional walkway assemblies are used, then structural strength and safety are ensured, but the weight and complexity of the assembly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The walkway is segmented into discrete modular units with standardized connection mechanisms. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing and assembly processes while maintaining structural integrity through proven connection designs. The modular approach reduces overall complexity by breaking down a complex custom structure into simpler, repeatable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The design utilizes parameter optimization to achieve the required structural strength with reduced material quantities. By carefully selecting material properties, cross-sectional dimensions, and structural configurations within the modular components, the walkway achieves necessary safety standards while minimizing weight and simplifying the assembly structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bespoke construction is performed on-site, then the walkway can be precisely adapted to the roof structure, but the cost of component parts and construction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The walkway system is divided into standardized modular components that can be manufactured using efficient, repeatable processes. This segmentation enables economies of scale in production, reducing per-unit costs compared to custom fabrication. The modules maintain adaptability through standardized connection systems that accommodate various roof configurations without requiring custom parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular components are designed with universal applicability, where the same basic elements (treads, risers, supports, connections) can be used across multiple applications and configurations. This universality reduces the variety of unique parts needed, lowering inventory costs, manufacturing complexity, and overall construction costs while maintaining the ability to adapt to different roof structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A walkway assembly (10) for attachment to a support structure such as a roof of a building includes a primary support (13) for on-site attachment to the support structure, a plurality of tread modules (41) each attached relative to the primary support and moveable between a first position and a second position at which a part of each tread module is spaced further from the primary support than when at the first position, and at least one riser unit (48) for supporting the tread modules relative to the primary support in at least the second of the first and second positions.