Movable Step and Ramp Access Device for Railway Platforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for accessing railway vehicles from platforms are inadequate for people with reduced mobility, as they often require station staff assistance and result in extended train stopping times due to the variability in platform and train heights, and existing access ramps are not suitable for railway use due to safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a chassis with a movable step and ramp that forms a bridge between the vehicle and platform, allowing for independent access by people with reduced mobility without resting on the platform, using a combination of horizontal and vertical movement mechanisms to adapt to different gap sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a ramp is deployed from the vehicle to rest on the platform, then access for people with reduced mobility is facilitated, but passenger safety is compromised due to the risk of injury from equipment on the platform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile platform as an intermediary element between the vehicle and the station platform. This mobile platform serves as a safe intermediate surface that the ramp can rest on without contacting the station platform, thus eliminating the safety hazard while maintaining accessibility for people with reduced mobility
Solution Approach 2:
The access system is divided into separate functional components: the vehicle, the mobile platform, and the ramp. The mobile platform is further segmented into a base portion and a superstructure. This segmentation allows the ramp to be isolated from the station platform, preventing direct contact and eliminating the safety risk while preserving the ramp's function
2Ease of operation
If forklifts are used to raise wheelchairs above the platform, then access is enabled, but train stopping time is considerably extended
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile platform with integrated ramp enables people with reduced mobility to access the vehicle independently without requiring station staff assistance. The automated or self-operated nature of the system eliminates the time-consuming manual operations associated with forklift assistance
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile platform and ramp system is pre-positioned and ready for use before the access operation begins. The platform can be deployed and the ramp positioned in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming on-site assembly or manual handling operations that extend stopping time
3Productivity
If fixed and retractable steps are used to cross gaps, then access is improved, but accessibility for people with reduced mobility remains impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the key parameter of the access interface by providing a continuous, flat surface (the mobile platform) instead of discrete steps. This parameter change from stepped to continuous surface makes the access method suitable for wheelchairs and other mobility aids while maintaining efficiency for all passengers
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A device (1) for accessing a vehicle (4) from a platform (5) comprises: - a chassis designed to be installed in said vehicle (4), - a step (22) designed to be moved with respect to the chassis (21, 31), - a ramp (32) designed to be moved with respect to the chassis (21, 31), and - means of driving the step (22) and the ramp (32) with respect to the chassis which are designed to bridge the gap between the vehicle (4) and the platform (5), the ramp (32) resting on the step (22).