Orientable Handrail Illumination via Asymmetric Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle hand rails lack the ability to selectively orient their lighting, often illuminating unnecessary areas and potentially blinding users with direct light, which can be distracting and impair vision.
Innovation Solution
A lighted hand rail system with stanchions that allow for two alternate mounting orientations of a bar, enabling the lighting element to be offset relative to the centerline, thus directing light towards specific areas such as steps or compartments, and preventing insertion in undesired orientations through a key mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the lighting element is positioned centrally on the handrail, then the structure is simple and symmetric, but the light illuminates unnecessary areas and may directly shine in users' eyes causing distraction and vision impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the lighting element offset from the centerline of the handrail stanchion. The mounting structure includes an asymmetric key feature on the bar that engages with a corresponding asymmetric recess in the stanchion, allowing the light to be positioned at approximately 30 degrees from the centerline. This asymmetric positioning directs light away from users' eyes and toward the ground or adjacent areas, eliminating glare and distraction while maintaining structural integrity through the key-keyway engagement mechanism.
2Loss of energy
If the lighting element is positioned to illuminate specific areas, then light waste is reduced and user safety is improved, but the mounting structure becomes more complex to achieve selective orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric key feature on the bar engages with a corresponding asymmetric recess in the stanchion, enabling the lighting element to be positioned at a specific angle (approximately 30 degrees from centerline). This asymmetric mounting structure directs light precisely toward the ground or adjacent areas, ensuring illumination of specific target zones while preventing light waste on unnecessary areas. The complexity is minimized by using a simple key-keyway engagement mechanism rather than complex adjustment or positioning systems.
3Ease of operation
If the handrail allows free insertion in any orientation, then installation is simple and quick, but the light cannot be directed to desired locations and may illuminate unnecessary areas
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric key feature on the bar engages with a corresponding asymmetric recess in the stanchion, providing two possible insertion orientations (0 degrees and 180 degrees). This asymmetric design maintains ease of installation by allowing the bar to be simply inserted into the stanchion without complex alignment procedures, while simultaneously providing orientation control to direct light toward desired locations. The key-keyway mechanism ensures the light is positioned at the correct angle (approximately 30 degrees from centerline) without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure provides dynamic adaptability by allowing the bar to be inserted in one of two orientations. The asymmetric key feature enables the installer to choose the appropriate orientation based on the desired light direction, providing versatility in adapting to different installation scenarios while maintaining simplicity through the binary orientation choice rather than requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the lighting element is offset from the centerline, then light is directed to specific areas and glare is prevented, but the mounting structure requires asymmetric features for proper orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric key feature on the bar engages with a corresponding asymmetric recess in the stanchion, enabling the lighting element to be positioned at approximately 30 degrees from the centerline. This asymmetric positioning directs light away from users' eyes and toward the ground or adjacent areas, preventing glare and distraction. The complexity is minimized by using a simple key-keyway engagement mechanism that provides reliable asymmetric positioning without requiring complex adjustment or positioning systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A handrail assembly for lighting an adjacent area includes two stanchions for attachment to a surface, each stanchion including mounting structure; a bar for attachment to the stanchions, the bar having two ends and defining mounting structure at the ends; and a lighting element configured to be carried by the bar. The mounting structure of the stanchions and bars cooperate to provide two alternate mounting orientations of the bar within the stanchions. In a first of the orientations the lighting element is offset circumferentially in a first direction relative to a centerline of the stanchions lighting a first adjacent area on a first side of the stanchions. In a second of the orientations the lighting element is offset circumferentially in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the centerline of the stanchions lighting a second adjacent area on a second side of the stanchions.