Automatic uncoupling device and method of operation thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic unhooking device and its operating method. The automatic unhooking device includes a hook body, a pulling trigger mechanism, and an unlocking actuator. The hook body includes an upper vertical section and a lower arc section, with the lower end of the upper vertical section and the upper end of the lower arc section hinged together. The pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator are fixedly connected, with their connection hinged to the hinge. The range of motion of the unlocking actuator is limited to the interior of the lower arc section, with its lower end contacting one side of the inner wall of the lower arc section. When pulled, the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator rotate around the hinge, with the lower end of the unlocking actuator moving away from the inner wall of that side of the lower arc section and abutting against the inner wall of the other side of the lower arc section, thereby pushing the lower arc section to rotate around the hinge. The advantage of this invention is that it enables remote, rapid, and safe unhooking of suspended heavy objects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of hook mechanisms, and in particular to an automatic unhooking device and its working method. Background Technology

[0002] In engineering operations such as lifting, hoisting, high-altitude work, and material handling, the hook is a crucial component connecting the lifting equipment to the load. Traditional hooks typically require the operator to manually unlock them at close range after the load is in place (e.g., by moving the latch, pulling out the pin, or pressing the spring catch) to separate the load from the hook. This manual unlocking method has the following prominent problems in practical applications: 1. Poor safety and prominent hidden dangers: When working at heights (such as building curtain wall installation, bridge hoisting, and wind turbine blade maintenance), operators need to climb to a high place or stand in a suspended basket to manually operate the unlocking device close to the suspended weight. This process faces two risks: a. Fall risk: When operators exert force on the edge or in a narrow space, their center of gravity is easily lost, and once they lose their footing, they may fall from a height. b. Risk of being crushed: The heavy object may shake, rebound or slip unexpectedly at the moment of unhooking. If the operator is too close, he or she is very likely to be hit or crushed by the heavy object.

[0003] In heavy-load transfer scenarios (such as container loading and unloading at ports and billet hoisting at steel mills), the heavy objects have large mass and inertia. If the manual unlocking is not operated properly (such as incomplete unlocking or excessive force), the heavy objects may suddenly fall, swing out of control, causing equipment damage or even personal injury.

[0004] 2. Low work efficiency, affecting project progress: Manual unlocking requires operators to be close to the hook each time the hook is released. For high-frequency lifting operations (such as material transfer on an assembly line, multiple loading and unloading), this process is repetitive and time-consuming, severely restricting overall operational efficiency. At the same time, when the working environment is complex (such as high temperature, dust, corrosive gases), operators need to wear protective equipment, which further reduces the flexibility and speed of manual operation.

[0005] In summary, existing hooking devices generally rely on close-range manual operation, resulting in two major drawbacks: low efficiency and high safety risks. Furthermore, existing improvements have not achieved force coupling and remote control of the unlocking and unhooking actions. Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for an automatic unhooking device and its operating method that eliminates the need for close-range manual intervention, can be remotely triggered, and reliably links the unlocking and unhooking actions to improve operational safety and efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an automatic unhooking device and its operating method. The automatic unhooking device includes a hook body, a pulling trigger mechanism, and an unlocking execution mechanism. The hook body includes an upper vertical section and a lower arc section. The lower end of the upper vertical section and the upper end of the lower arc section are hinged together. The pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking execution mechanism are fixedly connected, with their connection hinged to the hinge. The range of motion of the unlocking execution mechanism is limited to the interior of the lower arc section. The lower end of the unlocking execution mechanism contacts one side of the inner wall of the lower arc section. When the pulling trigger mechanism is pulled, both the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking execution mechanism rotate around the hinge. The lower end of the unlocking execution mechanism moves away from the inner wall of that side of the lower arc section and abuts against the inner wall of the other side of the lower arc section, thereby pushing the lower arc section to rotate around the hinge. This solves the problems of existing hook devices requiring manual close-range unlocking, low operating efficiency, and high safety risks, enabling remote, rapid, and safe unhooking of suspended heavy objects, and adapting to the needs of various operating scenarios.

[0007] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: An automatic unhooking device includes a hook body, a pulling trigger mechanism, and an unlocking actuator. The hook body includes an upper vertical section and a lower arc section, with the lower end of the upper vertical section hinged to the upper end of the lower arc section. The pulling trigger mechanism is fixedly connected to the unlocking actuator, and the connection between the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator is hinged to the hinge. The range of motion of the unlocking actuator is limited to the interior of the lower arc section, and the lower end of the unlocking actuator contacts one side of the inner wall of the lower arc section. When the pulling trigger mechanism is pulled, the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator rotate around the hinge, with the lower end of the unlocking actuator moving away from the inner wall of that side of the lower arc section and abutting against the inner wall of the other side of the lower arc section, thereby pushing the lower arc section to rotate around the hinge.

[0008] The pulling triggering mechanism includes a pulling rope and a connecting member. The upper end of the connecting member is connected to the pulling rope, and the lower end is fixedly connected to the unlocking execution mechanism and together they are hinged to the hinge.

[0009] The traction triggering mechanism also includes an elastic reset member, one end of which is connected to the upper end of the connector and the other end of which is connected to the upper vertical section.

[0010] The elastic reset element is a spring.

[0011] The arc length of the lower arc segment corresponds to a central angle of 270°±10°.

[0012] A method for operating an automatic unhooking device, the method comprising the following steps: S1: The weight is suspended on the hook body; in the locked state, the lower end of the unlocking actuator contacts the inner wall of one side of the lower arc segment of the hook body, the upper vertical segment of the hook body is hinged to the lower arc segment, and the pulling trigger mechanism is fixedly connected to the unlocking actuator and is hinged together on the hinge. S2: Remotely pull the pulling trigger mechanism to make the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator rotate around the hinge, and the lower end of the unlocking actuator moves away from the inner wall of the lower arc segment on that side. S3: Continue pulling so that the lower end of the unlocking actuator abuts against the inner wall of the other side of the lower arc segment, and pushes the lower arc segment to rotate around the hinge, thereby opening the hook body, dropping the suspended weight, and completing the unhooking.

[0013] The working method further includes step S4, which is: removing the pulling force on the pulling trigger mechanism, and the elastic reset member driving the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking execution mechanism to rotate and reset in opposite directions, so that the lower end of the unlocking execution mechanism re-contacts the inner wall of one side of the lower arc segment, and the hook body returns to the locked state.

[0014] The advantages of this invention are: 1. High safety: Remote control for unhooking is achieved, eliminating the need for operators to approach the suspended heavy objects and the hook body, effectively avoiding safety risks such as falls and injuries caused by high-altitude and heavy-load operations, and ensuring the personal safety of operators; 2. High operating efficiency: The unlocking actuator responds quickly, enabling rapid unhooking of heavy objects. At the same time, the device is easy to reset without manual reset, greatly improving operating efficiency and adapting to the needs of high-frequency material transfer and hoisting operations. 3. Wide applicability: It is suitable for various scenarios such as lifting and hoisting, high-altitude operations, and material transfer. The pull rope is made of high-strength and wear-resistant material, and the hook body is equipped with an anti-corrosion and wear-resistant coating. It can adapt to complex and harsh working environments such as high altitude, heavy load, outdoor, and humid conditions, and has a long service life. 4. Reliable structure: The connection of each component is stable, the transmission between the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator is smooth, and the elastic reset component can realize automatic reset, ensuring the stability and reliability of the device for repeated use and reducing the failure rate. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the locking state of the automatic unhooking device of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the loaded heavy object state of the automatic unhooking device of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the unhooking state of the automatic unhooking device of the present invention; like Figures 1-3 As shown in the figure, the labels represent: Hook body 1, upper vertical section 101, lower arc section 102, pulling trigger mechanism 2, pulling rope 201, connecting piece 202, elastic reset piece 203, unlocking actuator 3, hinge 4, weight 5. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The features and other related features of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, so as to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art: Example: Figures 1-3 As shown, this embodiment relates to an automatic unhooking device, which mainly includes a hook body 1, a pulling trigger mechanism 2, and an unlocking execution mechanism 3. The hook body 1 includes an upper vertical section 101 and a lower arc section 102. The lower end of the upper vertical section 101 and the upper end of the lower arc section 102 are hinged together by a hinge 4. The lower arc section 102 can rotate relative to the upper vertical section 101 around the hinge 4. The pulling trigger mechanism 2 is fixedly connected to the unlocking execution mechanism 3, and the connection between the pulling trigger mechanism 2 and the unlocking execution mechanism 3 is hinged to the hinge 4 and can rotate around the hinge 4.

[0017] The range of motion of the unlocking actuator 3 is limited to the interior of the hook body 1 (lower arc segment 102). When the pull trigger mechanism 2 is not pulled, the lower end of the unlocking actuator 3 contacts one side of the inner wall of the lower arc segment 102. When the pull trigger mechanism 2 is pulled, the pull trigger mechanism 2 and the unlocking actuator 3 rotate around the hinge 4. The lower end of the unlocking actuator 3 first moves away from the inner wall of that side of the lower arc segment 102, and then abuts against the inner wall of the other side of the lower arc segment 102, thereby pushing the lower arc segment 102 to rotate around the hinge 4, causing the hook body 1 to open and complete the unhooking.

[0018] The traction triggering mechanism 2 includes a traction rope 201, a connector 202, and an elastic reset member 203. The upper end of the connector 202 is connected to the traction rope 201, and the lower end of the connector 202 is fixedly connected to the unlocking execution mechanism 3, and both are hinged together by the hinge 4. One end of the elastic reset member 203 is connected to the upper end of the connector 202, and the other end is connected to the upper vertical section 101. In this embodiment, the elastic reset member 203 is a spring. In the initial loading state, the spring is in its original length state; when the traction rope 201 is pulled, the spring is stretched and stores elastic potential energy; after the pulling force is removed, the spring returns to its original length and drives the mechanism to reset.

[0019] The central angle corresponding to the arc length of the lower arc segment 102 is 270°±10°, that is, in the range of 260° to 280°. In this embodiment, the central angle corresponding to the arc length of the lower arc segment 102 is 270°.

[0020] like Figures 1-3 As shown, this embodiment also relates to a method for operating an automatic unhooking device, which mainly includes the following steps: S1: The weight 5 is suspended on the hook body 1; in the locked state, the lower end of the unlocking actuator 3 contacts the inner wall of one side of the lower arc section 102 of the hook body 1, the upper vertical section 101 of the hook body 1 and the lower arc section 102 are hinged by the hinge 4, and the pulling trigger mechanism 2 and the unlocking actuator 3 are fixedly connected and hinged together on the hinge 4.

[0021] S2: The remote pulling trigger mechanism 2 is pulled, causing the pulling trigger mechanism 2 and the unlocking actuator 3 to rotate around the hinge 4. The lower end of the unlocking actuator 3 moves away from the inner wall of the lower arc segment 102.

[0022] S3: Continue pulling so that the lower end of the unlocking actuator 3 abuts against the inner wall of the other side of the lower arc segment 102, and pushes the lower arc segment 102 to rotate around the hinge 4 relative to the upper vertical segment 101, thereby opening the hook body 1, causing the suspended weight 5 to fall off, and completing the unhooking.

[0023] S4: The pulling force on the pulling trigger mechanism 2 is removed, and the elastic reset member 203 drives the pulling trigger mechanism 2 and the unlocking execution mechanism 3 to rotate in opposite directions to reset, so that the lower end of the unlocking execution mechanism 3 re-contacts the inner wall of one side of the lower arc segment 102, and the hook body 1 returns to the locked state.

[0024] The advantages of this invention are: 1. High safety: Remote control for unhooking is achieved, eliminating the need for operators to approach the suspended heavy objects and the hook body, effectively avoiding safety risks such as falls and injuries caused by high-altitude and heavy-load operations, and ensuring the personal safety of operators; 2. High operating efficiency: The unlocking actuator responds quickly, enabling rapid unhooking of heavy objects. At the same time, the device is easy to reset without manual reset, greatly improving operating efficiency and adapting to the needs of high-frequency material transfer and hoisting operations. 3. Wide applicability: It is suitable for various scenarios such as lifting and hoisting, high-altitude operations, and material transfer. The pull rope is made of high-strength and wear-resistant material, and the hook body is equipped with an anti-corrosion and wear-resistant coating. It can adapt to complex and harsh working environments such as high altitude, heavy load, outdoor, and humid conditions, and has a long service life. 4. Reliable structure: The connection of each component is stable, the transmission between the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator is smooth, and the elastic reset component can realize automatic reset, ensuring the stability and reliability of the device for repeated use and reducing the failure rate.

Claims

1. An automatic unhooking device, characterized in that... The automatic unhooking device includes a hook body, a pulling trigger mechanism, and an unlocking actuator. The hook body includes an upper vertical section and a lower arc section, with the lower end of the upper vertical section hinged to the upper end of the lower arc section. The pulling trigger mechanism is fixedly connected to the unlocking actuator, and the connection between the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator is hinged to the hinge. The range of motion of the unlocking actuator is limited to the interior of the lower arc section, and the lower end of the unlocking actuator contacts one side of the inner wall of the lower arc section. When the pulling trigger mechanism is pulled, the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator rotate around the hinge, and the lower end of the unlocking actuator moves away from the inner wall of the lower arc section on that side and abuts against the inner wall of the lower arc section on the other side, thereby pushing the lower arc section to rotate around the hinge.

2. The automatic unhooking device as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The pulling triggering mechanism includes a pulling rope and a connecting member. The upper end of the connecting member is connected to the pulling rope, and the lower end is fixedly connected to the unlocking execution mechanism and together they are hinged to the hinge.

3. The automatic unhooking device as described in claim 2, characterized in that... The traction triggering mechanism also includes an elastic reset member, one end of which is connected to the upper end of the connector and the other end of which is connected to the upper vertical section.

4. An automatic unhooking device as described in claim 3, characterized in that... The elastic reset element is a spring.

5. An automatic unhooking device as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The arc length of the lower arc segment corresponds to a central angle of 270°±10°.

6. The operating method of the automatic unhooking device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that... The working method includes the following steps: S1: The weight is suspended on the hook body; in the locked state, the lower end of the unlocking actuator contacts the inner wall of one side of the lower arc segment of the hook body, the upper vertical segment of the hook body is hinged to the lower arc segment, and the pulling trigger mechanism is fixedly connected to the unlocking actuator and is hinged together on the hinge. S2: Remotely pull the pulling trigger mechanism to make the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking actuator rotate around the hinge, and the lower end of the unlocking actuator moves away from the inner wall of the lower arc segment on that side. S3: Continue pulling so that the lower end of the unlocking actuator abuts against the inner wall of the other side of the lower arc segment, and pushes the lower arc segment to rotate around the hinge, thereby opening the hook body, dropping the suspended weight, and completing the unhooking.

7. The operating method of the automatic unhooking device as described in claim 6, characterized in that... The working method further includes step S4, which is: removing the pulling force on the pulling trigger mechanism, and the elastic reset member driving the pulling trigger mechanism and the unlocking execution mechanism to rotate and reset in opposite directions, so that the lower end of the unlocking execution mechanism re-contacts the inner wall of one side of the lower arc segment, and the hook body returns to the locked state.

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