Retractable UV Cover for Boarding Handrail Disinfection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional boarding handrail disinfecting devices with permanently installed covers hinder the functionality of the handrail as passengers can only grasp it from specific directions, limiting its use.
Innovation Solution
A boarding handrail disinfecting device with a cover member that retracts when the door opens and extends to cover the handrail when closed, equipped with an ultraviolet light irradiation system that reflects light for comprehensive disinfection without obstructing passenger access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cover is permanently installed on the boarding handrail for disinfection, then the disinfection function is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because passengers cannot grasp the handrail from various directions
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to switch between covering the handrail for disinfection and retracting for passenger access. The cover can be positioned in different states (covering or retracted) based on operational needs, resolving the contradiction between maintaining disinfection function and ensuring handrail accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member operates periodically, covering the handrail during disinfection periods and retracting during boarding periods. This periodic switching allows the system to alternate between the disinfection function and the ease of operation, ensuring both requirements are met at different times.
2Reliability
If a cover is permanently installed on the boarding handrail, then the disinfection effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for movable cover mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is extracted from the door structure and designed as a separate, independent component that can move freely. This separation simplifies the overall system by allowing the cover to be controlled independently without complicating the door mechanism, reducing device complexity while maintaining disinfection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member is designed to move and position itself automatically based on the door's opening and closing states, without requiring complex control systems. This self-service capability reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for additional actuators or control mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the cover member extends to cover the handrail when the door is closed, then the disinfection function is improved, but the ease of operation worsens during the closing period
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is designed to retract in advance before the door closes, ensuring the handrail remains accessible even during the closing period. This preliminary action prevents any potential obstruction to passenger movement while still allowing disinfection to occur when the door is fully closed and the cover extends.
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
Ensures the handrail is disinfected without hindering its function as a boarding aid, allowing passengers to grasp it from various directions while maintaining effective sterilization.
Implementation Method 1
an irradiation device that is provided on a surface of the cover member that faces the boarding handrail and irradiates the boarding handrail with ultraviolet light
Implementation Method 2
a reflective member capable of reflecting ultraviolet light is provided on a surface of the extending part that faces the boarding handrail
Data Source
AI summary
A boarding handrail disinfecting device includes: a cover member that is provided on a door for opening and closing an entrance of a vehicle, and that is disposed so as to closely face a boarding handrail provided on a periphery of the entrance when the door closes the entrance and withdrawn from the boarding handrail when the door opens the entrance; and an irradiation device that is provided on a surface of the cover member that faces the boarding handrail and irradiates the boarding handrail with ultraviolet light.