Modular Railing Base Plate with Single Bolt Mounting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Construction sites face challenges with temporary safety railings due to high costs, wastage, inadequate compliance with OSHA fall protection standards, cumbersome installation and storage, and potential damage during transport and installation of metal railing systems.

Innovation Solution

A temporary railing assembly with a tubular rail structure, adjustable components, and a non-penetrating support system that allows for rapid assembly and disassembly using a single concrete anchor bolt, along with a rolling storage cart for efficient transport and storage, facilitating easy installation and reducing labor and material waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional metal railing systems are used with multiple anchor bolts, then fall protection reliability is improved, but installation time and labor cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefall protection reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base plate is divided into multiple mounting posts (at least two) with individual mounting slots, allowing the railing system to be segmented into modular components that can be independently positioned and assembled, reducing installation complexity and time while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base plate serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables adjustable positioning through multiple mounting slots, and facilitates rapid installation by integrating multiple mounting points into a single component that attaches to the concrete surface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If conventional metal railing systems are used, then fall protection reliability is improved, but installation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefall protection reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into distinct modular components (base plate, mounting posts, rails) that can be independently handled and assembled, reducing installation complexity while maintaining reliability through standardized connection interfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting slots provide adjustable positioning capability, allowing the system to adapt to different installation scenarios and concrete surface conditions, thereby reducing installation complexity while ensuring reliable fall protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If railing components are transported separately, then storage flexibility is improved, but risk of damage and loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage flexibilityVSAvoiddamage and loss risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The base plate integrates multiple mounting posts and mounting slots into a single unified component, reducing the number of separate parts that need to be transported and handled, thereby minimizing damage and loss risk while maintaining storage flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The modular components are designed to nest or stack together during storage and transport, with rails fitting into or alongside base plates and other components, reducing overall volume and minimizing handling requirements while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Reliability

If multiple anchor bolts are used for mounting, then mounting reliability is improved, but number of components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The base plate serves as a universal mounting component that integrates multiple mounting posts and slots into a single element, providing reliable multi-point attachment while reducing the total number of separate components compared to using individual anchor bolts for each mounting point

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10843718B1Construction safety railing assemblies, components, and methods for storage, transport, and installation

Publication Date: 2020.11.24 HILMERSON DEBRA LEE

AI summary

The construction industry ranks among the largest and most dangerous industries in the world. To promote worker safety, government regulations require use of fall protection equipment, such as railings, many of which are expensive, wasteful, and/or time consuming to use. Accordingly, the present inventor devised some alternatives. One exemplary system incorporates a dual post base plate configured for attachment to a concrete floor via a single concrete anchor bolt, instead of the multiple bolts used conventionally, thereby reducing assembly time and cost. Another embodiment includes a rolling cart assembly which stores the rails in a side-by-side vertical arrangement and the base plates in an interleaved sequence, promoting easy access during installation and inventory control during disassembly and storage. Additionally, some embodiments include four stacking posts that extend upward from the cart, enabling multiple carts to be stacked vertical on atop the other to save space on construction sites.