Choker Slider Remote Unlocking Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing choker sliders for transporting logs with cableway cranes require strenuous and dangerous manual operation to open the loop for unloading, especially when remote control access is limited or unavailable, and existing solutions with small actuators are cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A choker slider apparatus with a swivel head and hitching body that can be pivoted into a release position using a remote-controlled actuator, allowing manual operation without tools, and featuring a locking device that can be unlocked with an electromagnet or motor for easy loop opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional choker slider with a simple hitching body is used, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but opening the loop requires strenuous and dangerous manual operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical manual unlocking system with an electromechanical actuator system. The actuator, controlled remotely via radio frequency, electronically triggers the unlocking mechanism, eliminating the need for manual intervention and dangerous climbing operations. This substitution of mechanical manual operation with electromechanical automation directly resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a remote control system as an intermediary between the operator and the choker slider. The radio frequency remote control transmits commands to the actuator, which then operates the unlocking mechanism. This intermediary system allows the operator to unlock the choker from a safe distance, eliminating the need for direct manual contact with the device while maintaining operational capability.
2Ease of operation
If a remotely controlled actuator is added to the hitching body, then opening the loop becomes easier and safer, but the actuator dimensions become large and require special tools for operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical actuation systems with an electromechanical actuator that can be controlled remotely. This substitution reduces the mechanical complexity while maintaining the ease of operation, as the electrical actuation system is more compact and can be precisely controlled via radio frequency signals without requiring large mechanical linkages or special tools.
3Reliability
If the hitching body is locked with a spring-loaded catch lever, then the loop remains securely closed during transport, but releasing the catch lever requires considerable force and large actuators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the spring-loaded mechanical catch lever system with an electromechanical actuator system. The electrical actuator can precisely control the locking and unlocking forces, maintaining reliable loop closure during transport while eliminating the need for large actuators or considerable manual force to release the catch. The electromechanical system provides controlled force application that is more efficient than pure mechanical spring systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables safe and efficient manual opening of the loop at any location, including hills, and remote-controlled operation in the valley, reducing the need for manual labor and tool usage, enhancing safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
The locking device can be unlocked with an electromagnet or motor for easy loop opening
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for suspending a log comprises a cable having at one end a knob to be hitched into a hitching body. The hitching body which is provided for this purpose with a longitudinal opening is pivoted to a swivel head between a closed position in the swivel head and a release position swiveled out of the swivel head. The swivel head has a sliding eye through which the cable is slidingly guided. With a locking device the hitching body is locked in the closed position. For actuating the locking device, an actuator is provided which is driven with a remote control. The longitudinal opening of the hitching body has an enlargement at its end facing away from the swivel pin for hitching and unhitching the cable end with the knob in the closed position. Below the enlargement a support for the hitched knob is provided. The locking device has a locking bolt which engages a notch in the hitching body . The locking bolt is spring-loaded in the unlocking position and adapted to be stopped in the locking position by a catch which the actuator attacks.