Rack Protector Jaw and Bumper Structure for Impact Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protectors for warehouse racking are difficult to install safely, prone to sliding during impact, and do not fit variously sized structural supports effectively, leading to increased risk of damage when hit by fork lift trucks.
Innovation Solution
A protector with a pair of opposed jaws that open to accommodate different sizes, a bumper for impact absorption, and non-slip members to prevent movement, all formed integrally as a single component, with hinges and resilient materials to control fit and resilience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the mouth of the protector is forced open for attachment, then the protector can be fitted to the structure, but the hands of the user can be nipped making it dangerous to fit
Solution Approach 1:
A spreading tool is used to pre-open the mouth of the protector before installation, allowing the structure to be inserted without manually forcing the mouth open. This preliminary action eliminates the hazard of hand nipping while maintaining the attachment function.
2Reliability
If the mouth is made to fit one size of structural support, then the attachment is secure, but it is necessary to provide mouths of many thicknesses to protect different sized supports
Solution Approach 1:
The mouth of the protector is designed with a spreading mechanism that allows it to expand and accommodate multiple sizes of structural supports. Instead of requiring different thicknesses for different support sizes, a single protector design can be universally applied by adjusting the mouth opening width using the spreading tool.
3Ease of operation
If the mouths are not an exact precise fit, then installation is easier, but the protectors can move from side to side on the support increasing the risk of damage
Solution Approach 1:
The mouth of the protector is designed with adjustable dimensions through the spreading mechanism. The mouth can be opened to different widths and the jaws positioned at various angles to achieve an exact fit for the specific structural support size, thereby preventing side-to-side movement while maintaining easy installation through the spreading tool.
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 protector securely attaches to the structure, resists movement during impact, and absorbs force effectively, reducing damage to the racking and the protector itself.
Implementation Method 1
there is provided a resilient material arranged, when the protector is attached to the structure, to exert a resilient bias to urge the opposed jaws towards each other
Implementation Method 2
The non-slip material is arranged to increase friction between the protector and the structure
Implementation Method 3
The bumper being arranged to protect the structure from impact
Data Source
AI summary
The protector is generally elongate and includes a mouth that is able to open to accommodate the structure. The mouth is biased towards a closed position so that the mouth grips the structure to hold it in place. The mouth is provided by a pair of opposed jaws and an inner plate provided to act as a stop for the mouth. A bumper is provided that extends spaced from the inner plate. The protector further includes at least one angled linear web that extends between the inner plate and bumper at a front of the protector. Advantageously, it has been found that as the bumper crushes, the angled linear web and the side connection of the bumper combine to cause the bumper to spread outwardly and around the structure thereby acting to deflect the force of the impact around the structure. Such deflection reduces the damage to the structure.