Tripod Fall Protection Pole with Angled Support Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fall protection devices using poles with booms are prone to swinging, require heavy and strong poles to withstand bending moments, and are difficult to handle, especially when securing individuals at large heights, and often depend on building attachments which may not be feasible.
Innovation Solution
A device with a pole anchored to the ground using a ground anchor and supported by two elongate legs extending at a positive angle, forming a tripod-like structure, which reduces bending moments and allows for a lighter construction, enabling easy handling and independent placement without relying on building attachments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a boom is attached to the top end of the pole to position the safety line attachment point over the roof top, then the attachment point can be positioned correctly, but the boom can swing away causing instability and safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into functionally independent components: the pole for anchoring and support, and the support legs for stabilization. This segmentation eliminates the need for a boom attachment while maintaining positioning accuracy through the tripod configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a horizontal extension (boom) to a vertical tripod configuration. By extending support legs at angles from the pole at different heights, the device achieves stable positioning through three-dimensional geometric distribution rather than horizontal projection.
2Strength
If the pole is made sufficiently strong to withstand large bending moments when a person hangs on the safety line, then the pole can support the full weight, but the pole becomes heavy and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented from the pole to the support legs. The pole only needs to withstand axial compressive forces from the person's weight, while the support legs bear the bending moments and stabilize the structure. This division allows the pole to be much lighter while maintaining overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The support legs and pole form a composite structural system where materials and cross-sections can be optimized for their specific functions. The pole uses material efficient for compression, while the support legs provide the necessary bending resistance, achieving overall strength with reduced weight.
3Length of moving object
If the pole is made relative long to secure the person at large heights, then the person can be secured at greater heights, but the bending moment near the base end becomes very large requiring a heavy pole
Solution Approach 1:
The structural support function is segmented to the support legs positioned at different heights along the pole. This allows the pole to be long for reaching high positions while the support legs counteract bending moments at various points, preventing the need for excessive pole strength and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a single vertical support element to a three-dimensional tripod configuration. By distributing support points in space along the pole's length, the system achieves both extended reach and bending moment control without increasing pole mass.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a ground anchor is used to anchor the pole to the ground, then the device can be freely positioned without building attachments, but the pole may rotate relative to the ground anchor
Solution Approach 1:
The support legs are positioned at different heights and angles along the pole, creating localized stabilization zones. This distributed angular support prevents rotation at the ground anchor while maintaining overall placement flexibility, as each leg provides rotational restraint at its specific location.
Solution Approach 2:
The tripod configuration distributes rotational restraint across three spatial dimensions through the angular arrangement of support legs. This prevents pole rotation without requiring a fixed building attachment, achieving both stability and versatility.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for protection of a fall of a person, which device comprises: - a pole with a base end and a top end; - a ground anchor attached to the base end of the pole for anchoring the pole to the ground; - a safety line arranged to the top end of the pole; and - at least two elongate support legs each arranged with one end between the base end and the top end of the pole, wherein the elongate support legs extend at a positive angle from the pole in the direction of the base end of the pole.