Vertically Moving Cabin Stairwell Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional elevators in stairwells pose safety issues due to pivoting stairs, which can cause objects to fall and create gaps, and require significant space, while stairway lifts obstruct the stairs and are not suitable as escape routes.
Innovation Solution
An elevator and stairs assembly with a vertically moving cabin that replaces existing stairs, featuring a fixed and movable stairs portion, where the movable stairs remain oriented consistently and do not obstruct, ensuring safety and space efficiency, and a closed cabin design that meets domestic safety norms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a cabin is configured to pivot a portion of stairs away to move from lower to upper position, then the elevator can be arranged in the stairwell, but objects on the movable stairs portion will fall off and gaps will occur creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pivoting the stairs away from the cabin path, the patent inverts the approach by having the cabin move vertically through the stairwell while the stairs remain fixed in position. The cabin passes through the space previously occupied by the stairs, eliminating the pivoting motion that caused objects to fall and gaps to form.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the stairs into a fixed portion and a movable portion that can be independently positioned. The fixed stairs portion remains stationary to provide a safe escape route, while the movable stairs portion is configured to clear the cabin's path without pivoting, thus maintaining object stability and preventing gap formation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional elevator is installed in the stairwell, then vertical transport is enabled, but the stairs cannot serve as a safe escape route
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic positioning where the movable stairs portion can be repositioned between a stored position (clearing the escape route) and a usable position (providing stair access). This dynamic configuration allows the system to alternate between serving as an escape route and providing stair functionality, satisfying both requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The stairwell assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: the fixed stairs provide a permanent escape route, the movable stairs provide additional stair access when needed, and the cabin provides vertical transport. This multi-functional design allows the same space to serve different purposes at different times.
3Ease of operation
If stairway lifts are installed to assist mobility, then elderly people can use stairs, but the guide rail partially blocks the stairs and cannot serve as an escape route
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the mobility assistance function from the stair structure itself by providing a separate cabin-based vertical transport system. This removes the need for guide rails that would block the stairs, allowing the stairs to remain unobstructed and fully functional as escape routes while the cabin provides assisted mobility transport.
Data Source
Figure 1A
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Figure 1C
AI summary
The invention relates to an elevator and stairs assembly, comprising a cabin, a lifting device, a fixed stairs portion and a movable stairs portion, wherein the movable stairs portion is secured to, and arranged on, the cabin and configured to move along with the cabin in a vertical direction. Thereby, the elevator and stairs assembly is configured to move passengers, in an interior of the cabin, between a lower position at a lower floor and an upper position atan upper floor. The elevator and stairs assembly also allows persons to use the stairs, extending between the lower floor and the upper floor and comprising the fixed stairs portion and the movable stairs portion, when the cabin is in the lower position.