Outrigger Position Monitoring System for Firefighting Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility vehicles, such as firefighting vehicles, face challenges in positioning ground supports in narrow spaces with poor visibility, often requiring assistance to avoid obstacles and ensure stable support, leading to time loss and potential collisions.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring system with surveillance cameras and a visual display that superimposes expected support positions onto real-time images, allowing operators to recognize obstacles and unsuitable ground areas without external help, and calculates distances for precise maneuvering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operator manually positions the ground supports without assistance, then the operation complexity is reduced, but the positioning accuracy and safety deteriorate due to poor visibility and inability to overview operating positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cameras to create visual copies (images) of the ground areas where supports will be positioned. These images are displayed on a monitor to provide the operator with a visual representation of the operating positions, enabling accurate positioning without physical assistance while maintaining safety through visual feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system and display monitor act as an intermediary between the operator and the ground supports. Instead of directly observing the ground areas (which are not visible), the operator views processed images from cameras, allowing independent and safe positioning of supports in narrow spaces with poor visibility.
2Reliability
If surveillance cameras and display system are added to the vehicle, then the positioning accuracy and safety are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system serves multiple functions: it monitors ground areas for support positioning, provides visual feedback to the operator, and enables accurate positioning in various conditions (narrow spaces, poor visibility). This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering comprehensive benefits across multiple operational scenarios.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the operator positions supports in narrow spaces with poor visibility, then the vehicle can access difficult locations, but the time required for positioning increases due to need for assistance and trial-and-error maneuvering
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time visual feedback through camera images displayed on the monitor, allowing the operator to see the actual ground areas and adjust positioning accordingly. This feedback mechanism eliminates trial-and-error maneuvering and the need for external assistance, significantly reducing positioning time while maintaining the ability to access narrow and difficult locations.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a utility vehicle, in particular to a firefighting vehicle, comprising an aerial apparatus (i.e. a turnable ladder and/or an aerial rescue platform) and lateral ground supports (16) movable between retracted positions and extracted operating positions in which the ends of the supports (16) rest on the ground. The vehicle comprises a monitoring system (28) for monitoring the position of the vehicle (10). The system (28) comprises surveillance cameras (22) at the sides of the vehicle (10), each camera (22) being allocated to one support (16) to monitor the ground area (24) on which the end (20) of this support (16) rests in its operating position and to take a real-time image (32) of the respective ground area (24). The system (28) also comprises a visual display (30) presenting the images (32) of all cameras (22) at the same time in different screen areas, superposed by visual markings (34) representing expected operating positions of the supports (16) .