Sliding Tool Rack on Collapsible Base for Jobsite Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contractors face challenges in transporting and accessing tools and equipment efficiently at job sites, as many tools are too numerous, large, or heavy to be carried by hand.
Innovation Solution
A portable tool transporting device comprising a tool rack and a collapsible gurney base with a rail lock mechanism, allowing the tool rack to be easily slid onto and off the base, and the base to be powered or manually rolled to the work site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If tools and equipment are transported by hand or traditional methods, then the worker can carry some tools, but the tools are too numerous, large, and heavy to be carried efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The tool transporting device is divided into separate modular components: a base unit with collapsible legs and wheels, and a tool rack that can be attached or detached. This segmentation allows the heavy tool collection to be distributed across multiple manageable parts that can be assembled at the job site rather than carried as one heavy unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit serves as an intermediary between the vehicle and the tool rack, providing a stable platform with wheels for transport. The base receives the tool rack via the rail lock mechanism and enables easy mobility to and from job sites, eliminating the need for workers to manually carry heavy tool collections.
2Reliability
If the tool rack is securely locked to the base, then the tool rack is stable during transport, but the locking mechanism should not restrict tool access
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is extracted from the tool access path. The rail lock mechanism secures the tool rack to the base at the rear/bottom area, while the front and top portions of the tool rack remain completely accessible. This allows tools to be accessed by sliding them out from the front without interfering with the locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of locking the tool rack in a way that requires unlocking to access tools, the design inverts the approach: the tool rack is locked to the base in a position that naturally allows tools to slide out freely from the accessible end, making the locking mechanism complementary to rather than obstructive of tool access.
3Volume of moving object
If the base is collapsible for vehicle transport, then the device is easily stored in vehicles, but the base must be assembled at the job site
Solution Approach 1:
The base transitions between two dynamic states: a collapsed state for compact storage in vehicles, and an expanded state with legs deployed for stable operation at the job site. The collapsible leg structure allows the base to adapt its volume and configuration based on whether it is being transported or used.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit serves multiple functions: it provides a stable platform when legs are extended, serves as a transportable container when collapsed, and acts as a mounting structure for the tool rack. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for transport and operation.
4Ease of operation
If the tool rack can be easily attached and detached from the base, then loading and unloading is simplified, but the connection mechanism must be reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional complex mechanical locking system is replaced with a simpler rail lock mechanism that uses interlocking rails and a locking bar. This substitution maintains strong connection reliability while significantly simplifying the attachment and detachment process, allowing workers to quickly load and unload the tool rack without complex procedures.
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
The device enables quick and efficient transport of tools to the work site, allowing workers to access the tools they need rapidly, while also allowing for easy loading and unloading into vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The legs, wheels, and electric motor collapse away to allow the base to be collapsibly positioned into a motorized vehicle for transport away from the work site
Implementation Method 2
containment unit-base interlocking attachment mechanism or rail lock that locks two sets of rails together to prevent relative movement
Implementation Method 3
The legs of the base have wheels that are power assisted by an electric motor
Data Source
AI summary
A portable device for transporting tools and materials from a flat surface of a vehicle to a location near a job site. The device is comprised of a tool rack that contains the tools and a base with transporting wheels. The tool rack is releasably and slidingly attached to a base by way of an interlocking rail mechanism that does not restrict access to the tools.