Step stool with tread
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional step stools with treads, especially those made of rubber, face difficulties in cleaning due to the presence of recesses, corners, and abrupt directional changes that make it hard to access and clean the surface with typical cleaning tools.
Innovation Solution
The design features a tread surface with alternating elongated hills and valleys that have gentle slopes and sinusoidal shapes, eliminating corners and allowing easy cleaning with tools like sponges or mops, while providing sufficient grip through the protruding hills and valleys.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tread surface includes recesses, corners, and abrupt directional changes to enhance grip, then the grip performance is improved, but the ease of cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tread surface features continuously curved hills and valleys without sharp corners or abrupt directional changes. The sinusoidal wave pattern with gentle slopes allows cleaning tools to easily access and clean the entire surface while the curved geometry maintains effective grip by providing gradual transitions that prevent slipping.
2Reliability
If the tread has complex geometric features to improve grip, then the grip performance is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tread surface is segmented into repeating sinusoidal wave patterns consisting of alternating hills and valleys. This segmentation provides multiple grip zones across the tread surface while using a simple, repetitive geometric pattern that reduces manufacturing complexity compared to unique complex features.
Solution Approach 2:
The sinusoidal wave pattern uses smooth, continuous curves throughout the tread surface, eliminating sharp corners and abrupt transitions. This curved geometry maintains effective grip performance while simplifying the overall design and reducing manufacturing complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the tread uses gentle slopes to enable easy cleaning, then the ease of cleaning is improved, but the grip performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The tread surface is divided into multiple alternating hills and valleys that create numerous small contact points with the foot. Even though each individual slope is gentle for easy cleaning, the collective effect of multiple segmented features provides sufficient grip through increased surface area and multiple friction points.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuously curved sinusoidal pattern provides gentle slopes that are easy to clean while maintaining grip effectiveness. The smooth transitions and curved geometry distribute force evenly, preventing sudden slips while allowing easy access for cleaning tools.
Data Source
AI summary
Treads are provided which allow a stepping surface to be made of a rubber, plastic, or other gripping material while limiting or eliminating recesses or corners that are difficult to clean. Concentric rings of alternating hills and valleys are provided on a top surface of a step. The hills and valleys are wide, have limited slopes, and reduce abrupt directional changes in the surfaces. A user can clean the surface easily with a sponge, towel, mop, or other cleaning tool because the cleaning surface can reach most or all of the tread surface.