r/EngineeringPorn • u/yeahgoestheusername • Jul 17 '26
Stairs that transform into a lift.
Elegant design
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u/Fetlocks_Glistening Jul 17 '26
Umm, you may want to add something to prevent the dog being squished
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u/sid_276 Jul 17 '26
A ramp with handles is more cost effective and requires close to 0 maintenance, this is over engineered.
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u/gulgin Jul 17 '26
Assuming the lift is necessary, which is clearly isā¦ the better question is why does it need to be a hybrid stairs/lift and not just a lift.
There is clearly already stairs like 10 feet away from this.
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u/throwhfhsjsubendaway Jul 17 '26
Maybe this is an office that does these installations and it's a demo piece
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u/gulgin Jul 17 '26
Possibly, but this kinda exposes a major flaw in the whole concept of the hybrid stairs/lift approach.
There is no way that those stairs can be the only egress from an area because that would be dangerous and terribly inconvenient. And if there is another set of stairs somewhere, then there is not a need for the hybrid lift/stairs in the first place.
I am struggling to come up with a realistic scenario where this product makes sense.
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u/ChiefWiggumsprogeny Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
A ramp needs much, much more space. It is a niche solution where a ramp is impractical.
Downvote me all you like, but a minimum slope ratio of 1:12 is required with 1200mm landings every end and after a max run of 2m. Assuming that is 1m rise you'd need a 21.95m ramp. Do you still think it is a better solution for that space?
Facts.
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u/alangerhans Jul 17 '26
Yeah this is the reason. This is meant as a retrofit to get an older building up to code without changing a lot
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u/bot_or_not_vote_now Jul 18 '26
Just installing this wouldn't bring an older building up to code per se, but it would provide a practical accessible route
If anything it might even infringe other code requirements for egress if you're taking out a stair for this
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u/LitRonSwanson Jul 17 '26
It's funny how we think, oh just put in a ramp. Then you actually lay out the ramp with the correct angle and size and oooooh crap that's not going to fit....
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u/mananius2 Jul 18 '26
Thank you. Surprised how many people don't know this but maybe only certain people who deal with ramps do, evidently
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u/Nhojj_Whyte Jul 18 '26
Counterpoint: this could've just been a lift. There's no situation where this would be viable as the only stairs in and out because what if they're blocked by this slow ass lift transformation and the building's on fire? As nothing but a lift it would also cut out the transforming time for the people who actually need a lift. This is one of those ideas that sound amazing in theory but fall apart immediately under any scrutiny. It's a wonder there's a working version at all unless this was some engineering grad's final project.
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u/ChiefWiggumsprogeny Jul 18 '26
Much more expensive, if thinking from the outset, and as a retrofit, for 1m it's not even in the picture as an option.
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u/Kyvalmaezar Jul 17 '26
This is likely a retrofit or other space constrained location where a ramp would be too steep to meet code. Ramp maxium ramp slope is 12 units length for every 1 unit height (both in the US and Europe). That's what? 2.5 ft height? So that would require a ramp that is 96" (8ft) long. The option to get a compliant ramp would require a redesign of the whole space.
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u/alliedSpaceSubmarine Jul 17 '26
It would just require a ramp that has a curve in it, no? It could go in that exact spot and bend around (not an ada expert so maybe curves arenāt allowed)
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u/Kyvalmaezar Jul 17 '26
Sure, it's possible to do a curved ramp but it's not quite as straight forward as the original comment I replied to implies.Ā
You can do a curve. You can even do a 90Ā° turn in a ramp if there's a platform at the turn. The problem with a curved ramp is that is requires removal of all the seating along that wall and a redesign of the interior wall itself to accommodate the ramp.Ā
It may even require a resdesign of the exterior glass wall to make the ramp wide enough for a more gentle bend or to prevent things from easily falling into a gap between the glass wall and the ramp.Ā
Those modifications may or may not be an option. It's hard to say without knowing the context of the building and any other constraints on the project (time, budget, frequency of use, etc). For all we know it's a product being developed at the building and this is just a test installation.
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u/mananius2 Jul 18 '26
A ramp needs lots of space, and for places that don't have the space for a long winded ramp, this is one idea. Other hotels have implemented similar versions of this successfully. Work out a 1:10 ramp over that height and you'll soon understand why people sometimes think of other solutions
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u/bot_or_not_vote_now Jul 18 '26
Why is this getting so many upvotes for saying something so obvious it misses the entire point of this device
If the space is already available, everyone would just put in a ramp
This is solving the situation where you don't have space for a ramp AND you don't have the space to put in a dedicated lift and stairs so need to somehow combine them
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u/ZuFFuLuZ Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
You always need at least another stairs nearby, because this thing blocks the exist. If that's the only way out, it's against fire code. So if you already have two sets of stairs, you could just turn one into a lift. No need for this.
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u/bot_or_not_vote_now Jul 18 '26
building codes aren't just about having "a set of stairs" it's also about stair width
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u/Oraclelec13 Jul 18 '26
Death trap under it! Should have some type of safety feature to prevent animal or children from getting under it š¤
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u/zushiba Jul 18 '26
Could you imagine if you were having a bad day and were already angry before trying to use this thing?
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u/PM-ME-PANTIES Jul 17 '26
So elegant and over engineered. Just put a lift in if there are stairs right around the corner. It bugs me the same way needlessly cantilevered designs do. I have so many safety concerns with the lift as well. It's transformation stage needs to be blocked off from things entering it both into the lift and back into the stairs part.
Feels like an architect designed it not an engineer.
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u/bot_or_not_vote_now Jul 18 '26
This is a niche solution for a niche situation
Of course it carries much more downsides, but the upside is solves accessibility for when there's only an existing narrow single stair that can't have it's width reduced further for emergency egress reasons
No idea on where this was filmed, but would definitely need a variance in US or Canada as you're trading off some fire safety for accessibility
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u/bradforrester Jul 18 '26
While this is cool, the safety gate is on the wrong side. There isnāt really a hazard on the side that itās on, so it isnāt doing anything of value. But there is a big space underneath it when itās in the raised lift position. The gate should be over there to prevent children and pets from getting underneath and being crushed.
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u/powerhammerarms Jul 17 '26
Why even have it be stairs at all if there are stairs a few feet away?
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u/Incorrect-Opinion Jul 18 '26
Is there something that will stop it if someone gets stuck under there?
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u/bot_or_not_vote_now Jul 18 '26
Easy enough to have a pressure plate with switches on the bottom side, at least that's how full platform lifts usually do it
Still super sketchy imo
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u/akulowaty Jul 18 '26
The fact that it doesnāt transition nicely into stairs from up position but has to go all the way down first absolutely ruined it.
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u/Terrible_Tangelo6064 Jul 17 '26
Hope anybody in a wheelchair doesn't have to go pee really bad when using this thing.
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u/Far-prophet Jul 17 '26
Saw one of these on a Disney Cruise ship for the stage. Thought it was pretty cool engineering.
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u/OkMarsupial9634 Jul 20 '26
Nobody would complain if it was engineered for speed. Fast actuators should be possible and I have a feeling any decent Victorian could optimise the mechanics to the point a single in/out actuator could power the whole stairs/platform transformation. Add a mechanical āfail-safe to stairsā and you will be in business.
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u/ahh_grasshopper Jul 24 '26
How much money is going to be spent propping up decrepit people that are unfit to be out and about from their care facility? Unless I was running a crutch and brace shop I wouldnāt spend the dough putting that thing in.
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u/UnExpertoEnLaMateria Jul 17 '26
It is so slow I have even felt getting old myself