Warning Tape Holder for Posts Prevents Twisting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing warning tape holders fail to prevent warning tape from becoming twisted and difficult to see when wrapped around posts such as traffic cones or delineators, reducing their effectiveness in hazard indication.
Innovation Solution
A simple, inexpensive warning tape holder designed to fit around posts, featuring a main body with through slots for the tape and a receptacle with a through opening to secure the tape without twisting, allowing easy removal for access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If warning tape is wrapped around posts or structures, then the warning tape can be displayed in various settings, but the tape becomes twisted and difficult to see
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a warning tape holder as an intermediary device between the warning tape and the post/structure. This holder maintains the tape in a flat, untwisted state while being mounted on various posts, thereby preserving visibility (reliability) while enabling versatile display (adaptability). The holder acts as a mediator that solves the fundamental conflict between flexible mounting and maintaining tape flatness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If warning tape is wrapped around makeshift structures, then the tape can be displayed in multiple environments, but the tape becomes twisted and narrow
Solution Approach 1:
The holder serves as an intermediary that maintains the proper shape (flatness) of the warning tape while being adaptable to multiple environments and structures. The holder's design with slots and receptacles ensures the tape remains flat and untwisted regardless of the mounting location, thus preserving the shape parameter while achieving environmental adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder is divided into functional segments: a mounting receptacle for attaching to posts, a body portion with slots for securing the tape, and a flat surface for displaying the tape. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function - the receptacle provides adaptability to different posts, while the slot and flat surface maintain the tape's proper shape.
3Shape
If a continuous slot is used to hold warning tape, then the tape can be displayed flat, but the holder cannot be removed for egress
Solution Approach 1:
The holder incorporates dynamic elements that allow it to transition between a secure state (with tape held firmly in flat position) and a release state (where the tape can be quickly removed). The slot design with movable components enables the holder to maintain the tape's flat shape during normal use while allowing rapid removal when egress is needed, thus resolving the contradiction between shape maintenance and operational ease.
4Reliability
If complex devices are used to hold warning tape, then the tape can be prevented from twisting, but the devices are too complicated and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is designed as a simple, inexpensive device that can be easily manufactured and deployed. Rather than using complex mechanical systems, the patent employs a straightforward structure with slots and receptacles made from basic materials. This simplicity reduces cost and complexity while still effectively preventing tape twisting, making the solution economically viable for widespread use.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder's simple slot-and-receptacle design allows it to automatically maintain the tape in a flat position without requiring complex active mechanisms. The passive structural design inherently prevents twisting through its geometry alone, eliminating the need for motors, sensors, or complex control systems, thus achieving reliability through simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
The warning tape holder comprises a main body and a receptacle, the receptacle extending from the main body and comprising a through opening adapted to receive an upper portion of a traffic cone such as a delineator. The receptacle comprises a perimeter wall defining the through opening, the perimeter wall comprising upper, lower, inner, and outer facing surfaces. The main body comprises a plurality of through slots adapted to receive a warning tape. In certain embodiments, the perimeter wall defines a closed loop. In other embodiments, the perimeter wall defines a hook configuration. In other embodiments, the warning tape holder comprises a plurality of slots. In other embodiments, the warning tape holder comprises a hinged flap that permits warning tape to be secured.