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US 12,442,205 B2Granted
Collapsible guardrail
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorTuan-Vu T. Phan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods involving collapsible guardrails. An example system includes a top rail, a mid rail, an enclosure, and at least two posts. Each post includes an upper primary member, a lower primary member, an upper secondary member, and a lower secondary member. The upper primary member and the lower primary member are slidably coupled to at least one slot in the mid rail. The upper secondary member is rotatably coupled to the upper primary member and the lower secondary member is rotatably coupled to the lower primary member. The upper primary member is further coupled to the top rail and the lower primary member is coupled to the enclosure.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- receiving, at a controller, information indicative of a desired configuration or a desired movement of a collapsible rail system that is positioned proximate a movable deck platform, wherein the collapsible rail system comprises a top rail, a mid rail, primary members that are connected to outer sections of the top rail and the mid rail, and secondary members that are connected to the primary members, the collapsible rail system further comprising at least one actuator and locking elements, wherein the movable deck platform includes a walking surface, and wherein the controller is configured to use the at least one actuator to extend or retract the collapsible rail system relative to the walking surface;
- modifying, by the controller and based on the information indicative of the desired configuration or the desired movement, a position of the locking elements to enable adjustment of the collapsible rail system;
- while the collapsible rail system is unlocked, extending the collapsible rail system from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration by unfolding upper and lower arms of the primary members and unfolding upper and lower arms of the secondary members;
- locking in the extended configuration a first one of the primary members to a first one of the secondary members by engaging along the mid rail a first one of the locking elements that is connected to the first primary member to the first secondary member;
- locking in the extended configuration a second one of the primary members to a second one of the secondary members by engaging along the mid rail a second one of the locking elements that is connected to the second primary member to the second secondary member;
- after using the collapsible rail system while in the extended configuration, disengaging the locking elements from the first and second secondary members;
- while the locking elements are disengaged, moving the collapsible rail system to the retracted configuration;
- and
- wherein the controller uses the at least one actuator to foldably adjust the collapsible rail system according to the desired configuration or the desired movement.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- while a collapsible rail system is unlocked, positioning the collapsible rail system in a retracted configuration, the retracted configuration comprising:
- posts folded together with each of the posts comprising upper and lower primary members and upper and lower secondary members;
- a top rail that is connected to the upper primary members that that is positioned in proximity to a mid rail;
- and
- pins that connect together the upper and lower primary members and the pins are positioned at inner portions of slots in the mid rail;
- while the collapsible rail system is unlocked, moving the collapsible rail system from the retracted configuration to an extended configuration comprising:
- sliding the pins along the slots away from the inner portions;
- unfolding the upper and lower primary members;
- unfolding the upper and lower secondary members;
- moving the top rail away from the mid rail;
- and
- locking the collapsible rail system by engaging first locking elements on the upper and lower primary members with second locking elements on the upper and lower secondary members thereby preventing the pins from sliding towards the inner portions of the slots and preventing the upper and lower primary members from folding.
9 more elements
A method comprising:
- storing a collapsible rail system in a retracted configuration while the collapsible rail system is unlocked with upper and lower primary members and upper and lower secondary members folded together, a top rail positioned in proximity to a mid rail and with pins that connect together the upper and lower primary members positioned at inner portions of slots in the mid rail;
- while the collapsible rail system is unlocked, moving the collapsible rail system from the retracted configuration to an extended configuration by sliding the pins along the slots away from the inner portions, unfolding the upper and lower primary members, unfolding the upper and lower secondary members, and moving the top rail away from the mid rail;
- and
- locking the collapsible rail system by engaging first locking elements on the upper and lower primary members with second locking elements on the upper and lower secondary members thereby preventing the pins from sliding towards the inner portions of the slots and preventing the upper and lower primary members from folding.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.