Universal Stabilizing Bar for Portable Ladder Width Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable ladders require different center distances for connecting holes on stabilizing bars, leading to complexity and increased storage needs for various sizes, making production and assembly cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

A portable ladder design featuring a stabilizing bar with a base profiled body and auxiliary body having multiple connection seats with varying center distances, allowing for easy adjustment and assembly using screws and nuts, enabling the same stabilizing bar to fit different ladder widths and sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If connecting holes with different center distances are provided for different ladder widths, then the ladder can accommodate various ramp widths, but the work complexity increases and store reserves of stabilizing bars with mutually different holes are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of various ramp widthsVSAvoidwork complexity and store reserves
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing bar is designed with multiple connection holes at different center distances, allowing a single universal stabilizing bar to accommodate various ramp widths by selecting the appropriate connection holes. This eliminates the need for different stabilizing bars for different ladder sizes and reduces storage requirements.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The connection system is segmented into multiple discrete connection holes positioned at different center distances along the stabilizing bar. This allows selective engagement of specific holes based on the required ramp width, providing flexibility without requiring multiple complete stabilizing bar variants.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If through holes are provided in the stabilizing bar for screw connection, then the stabilizing bar can be fixed to the stringers, but the assembly process requires considerable store reserves and becomes cumbersome

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing of stabilizing bar to stringersVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing bar incorporates multiple connection holes that can accommodate different stringer configurations and ramp widths using the same stabilizing bar design. This universal approach simplifies manufacturing and assembly by eliminating the need to maintain inventory of multiple stabilizing bar variants.

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

3Device complexity

If a stabilizing bar is designed with fixed connecting holes, then the structure is simple, but it cannot be applied to ladders of different sizes or widths

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstructive simplicityVSAvoidapplicability to different ladder sizes
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing bar is designed as a universal component with multiple connection holes positioned at different center distances. This allows the same stabilizing bar to be used across different ladder sizes and configurations, achieving versatility while maintaining relatively simple construction.

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

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of creating different stabilizing bars for different widths, the solution adds the dimension of multiple connection hole positions along the length of the stabilizing bar. This allows width adaptation through selective hole engagement rather than through creating entirely different components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3514318B1Portable ladder
Publication Date: 2020.11.18 F A C A L
  • EP3514318B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3514318B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3514318B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A portable ladder comprising at least one pair of stringers (2a, 2b), which face each other and are mutually connected by a plurality of rungs (3), which extend transversely to the stringers (2a, 2b) and are mutually spaced along the extension of the stringers (2a, 2b); the ladder is provided, substantially at one end of the stringers (2a, 2b), with a stabilizing bar (4), which extends substantially at right angles to the stringers (2a, 2b); the stabilizing bar (4) comprises a base profiled body (5) and at least one auxiliary body (6), which is coupled to the base profiled body (5) and is provided with a plurality of connection seats (7) which can be engaged selectively by means (9) for fixing the stringers (2a, 2b) to the stabilizing bar (4).