Rotating Cab Ladder Steps for Low-Width Boom Lifts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators of telescopic boom lifts face difficulties in safely climbing up or down from the cab due to the minimal protrusion of ladder rungs, which are often obscured by mud or debris, increasing discomfort and risk, especially in low-space occupation configurations required for road travel.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic boom lift with a ladder that rotates between two configurations: a minimum space occupation configuration where the steps are aligned with the wall and an increased space occupation configuration where the steps are arranged transversely, allowing easier identification and use, especially when the operator needs to exit the cab, facilitated by a rotating step mechanism and actuator system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the ladder rungs are kept close to the vehicle wall to minimize space occupation, then the vehicle maintains low transverse space occupation for road travel compliance, but the operator finds it difficult to safely place his foot on the rungs and the rungs become hidden under mud or debris
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder rungs are made rotatable relative to the vehicle wall, allowing them to dynamically change position between a retracted configuration (close to the wall for minimal space occupation during travel) and an extended configuration (protruding outward for improved visibility and foot placement when the operator needs to climb). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the ladder's space occupation to the operational context.
Solution Approach 2:
The ladder rungs are arranged in multiple dimensions relative to the vehicle wall. In the retracted state, they occupy minimal transverse space; in the extended state, they protrude outward in the transverse direction to improve accessibility. The rotatable mechanism enables transition between these dimensional configurations, allowing the same structure to satisfy both space constraints and usability requirements.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the ladder rungs protrude slightly from the wall to be visible, then the operator can identify them more easily, but the transverse space occupation of the vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable ladder rungs provide a dynamic solution where visibility and space occupation are traded off based on operational needs. During road travel, the rungs are retracted to minimize transverse dimension and comply with regulatory constraints. When the operator needs to access the cab, the rungs are rotated to protrude outward, improving visibility and making foot placement easier, temporarily increasing transverse space occupation only when necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
A telescopic boom lift, comprising at least one vehicle which can move on the ground and supports directly or indirectly at least one telescopic boom which in turn is adapted to support a work accessory, and a cab configured to accommodate an operator. The lift comprises at least one ladder for access to the cab, arranged along a wall of the vehicle and provided with at least one step which rotates with respect to the wall, for the movement of the ladder between at least two configurations for use which correspond to different space occupations of the ladder. In the first minimum space occupation configuration the step faces and is proximate to the wall; in a second configuration with increased space occupation the step is arranged transversely with respect to the wall.