Dual-Sided Folding Staircase for Rail Evacuation Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional evacuation devices for rail vehicles, such as evacuation walkways and folding stairs, are heavy, difficult to handle, and occupy significant space, limiting their practicality and accessibility for passengers, especially those with reduced mobility.
Innovation Solution
A folding staircase that integrates an evacuation walkway and staircase into a single device, allowing it to be easily handled and stored, with treads that form a continuous surface when folded for horizontal evacuation and stepped configuration when unfolded for vertical evacuation, featuring rotatable connections and adjustable components for stability and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional evacuation walkways are used for horizontal evacuation, then evacuation function is provided, but the device is heavy and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the evacuation walkway and folding staircase into a single integrated device. The walkway and staircase share common structural elements (treads, stringers, stiles) that can be reconfigured between the two functions, reducing overall weight and simplifying handling compared to carrying separate devices for each evacuation scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to perform multiple functions: it can be configured as a horizontal evacuation walkway between vehicles or as a vertical folding staircase for track bed evacuation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate heavy devices, improving ease of operation while maintaining comprehensive evacuation capability.
2Ease of operation
If conventional folding stairs are permanently installed for vertical evacuation, then evacuation function is provided, but the device occupies large installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The evacuation walkway and folding staircase are merged into one device with shared structural components. When folded for storage, the device occupies minimal space within the vehicle, yet provides both horizontal and vertical evacuation functions when deployed, eliminating the need for separate permanently installed structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a static permanently installed structure to a dynamic reconfigurable system. The treads and stringers can be moved and repositioned to convert between walkway and staircase configurations, allowing the device to be stored compactly when not in use and deployed as needed without permanent installation space requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate evacuation walkways and folding stairs are carried for different evacuation scenarios, then comprehensive evacuation coverage is provided, but the total weight and handling complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the previously separate evacuation walkway and folding staircase into a single reconfigurable device. The shared treads, stringers, and stiles can be arranged to provide either horizontal walkway function or vertical staircase function, covering multiple evacuation scenarios without requiring multiple separate devices, thus reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed with universal applicability for different evacuation scenarios through its reconfigurable structure. The same components serve dual purposes: forming a horizontal walkway between vehicles or creating vertical steps to the track bed, providing comprehensive evacuation coverage while simplifying the overall system from managing multiple separate devices.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a folding staircase (1) for a passenger rail vehicle (10) and a passenger rail vehicle (10) with at least one folding staircase (1), wherein the folding staircase (1) comprises at least two treads (2), each having a top surface with a first tread (3), wherein the first treads (3) of the at least two treads (2) lie in a common plane in a folded state of the folding staircase (1), so that they form a tread plane, wherein the first treads (3) of the at least two treads (2) are offset from each other in a first unfolded state of the folding staircase (1) in order to form walkable steps of the folding staircase (1).