Scaffold Mounting Adapter for Universal Safety Railing Attachment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing safety railings for scaffolding are complicated to handle, not compatible with scaffolding from various manufacturers, and do not meet the TRBS 2121 Part 1 safety standard, which requires two horizontal rails for fall protection.

Innovation Solution

A mounting adapter that can be attached to vertical beams of scaffolding, featuring receiving units with grooves for fastening elements of a safety railing, allowing for flexible attachment and compliance with safety standards, including the use of two upper vertical rails.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If safety railings are attached directly to horizontal beams using hooking methods, then the attachment is simple, but the railings are only compatible with specific manufacturer's scaffolding and do not meet current safety standards

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with different scaffolding manufacturersVSAvoidattachment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a mounting adapter as an intermediary component between the scaffolding vertical beam and the safety railing. The adapter features a fastening device that attaches to the scaffolding and receiving units that connect to the safety railing, enabling universal compatibility across different manufacturers while maintaining simple railing attachment procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment system is divided into separate functional components: the mounting adapter body, the fastening device for scaffolding attachment, and the receiving units for railing attachment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates versatility across different scaffolding systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If safety railings are attached to vertical beams using laterally attached struts or pins, then compatibility with various scaffolding is improved, but the handling becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with various scaffoldingVSAvoidhandling ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting adapter serves as a mediator that simplifies the attachment process. The receiving units with grooves and fastening elements provide an intuitive, easy-to-operate interface for attaching safety railings, while the fastening device handles the complexity of interfacing with various scaffolding vertical beams

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If traditional safety railings are used, then the structure is simple, but they do not comply with TRBS 2121 Part 1 safety standard requiring two horizontal rails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety standard complianceVSAvoidrailing structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting adapter provides a universal attachment solution that accommodates safety railings with multiple horizontal rails. The receiving units are designed to securely hold fastening elements from railings that meet TRBS 2121 Part 1 requirements, including configurations with two or more horizontal rails, without requiring adapter modifications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If mounting adapters are introduced for universal compatibility, then adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with different scaffolding manufacturersVSAvoidmounting adapter structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting adapter merges the attachment function for both scaffolding and safety railings into a single integrated component. The fastening device and receiving units are combined in one adapter body, eliminating the need for separate attachment mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity despite enhanced versatility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3748107B1Mounting adapter, safety rail, kit for a scaffold, scaffold and method therefor
Publication Date: 2023.01.04 ROLLE MANFRED
  • EP3748107B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3748107B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP3748107B1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

The invention relates to a mounting adapter (1) for the temporary attachment of a leading safety railing (40) to a scaffold (50) during the erection and/or dismantling of the scaffold (50). The invention further relates to a safety railing (40) for temporary attachment to a scaffold (50) during the erection and/or dismantling of the scaffold, wherein the safety railing (40) secures each subsequent scaffold level (E1, E2) during erection until its completion, or each uppermost scaffold level (E1, E2) until its complete dismantling, and the safety railing (40) is designed such that it can be temporarily attached to the scaffold (50) by means of at least one mounting adapter (1) according to the invention. The invention also relates to a kit for erecting a scaffold (50), as well as a scaffold consisting thereof. Finally, the invention relates to methods for this.