Clamp Collar Retention for Falling Connecting Pins in Crane Disassembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods fail to prevent the fall and potential damage or accident caused by connecting pins during the disassembly of crane structure elements, as they are not designed to retain and secure these pins during ejection.
Innovation Solution
A fall prevention safety device comprising a clamp with an internal groove, a lock, and a mooring link that anchors to a fixed element, allowing the clamp to securely hold and retain the connecting pin, preventing it from falling during disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If connecting pins are ejected during disassembly operations, then the disassembly process is completed, but the connecting pins may fall and cause damage or injury
Solution Approach 1:
A clamp collar acts as an intermediary device between the connecting pin and the ejection force. The clamp collar captures and retains the connecting pin during ejection operations, preventing it from falling while still allowing the disassembly process to proceed efficiently. The mooring link serves as another intermediary that anchors the clamp collar to a fixed element, providing additional security against the harmful fall effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution segments the disassembly process into controlled stages: the clamp collar engages with the connecting pin separately from the ejection action, allowing the pin to be retained independently while being ejected from the structural element. This segmentation enables the harmful effect (falling) to be prevented without compromising the overall disassembly productivity.
2Reliability
If a clamp collar is used to retain the connecting pin, then the fall risk is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp collar is designed with dynamic capability to open and close around the connecting pin. The movable jaw allows the clamp to adapt to different pin sizes and positions, providing a versatile retention solution without requiring multiple specialized devices. This dynamic design maintains reliability while controlling complexity through a single multi-functional component.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp collar serves multiple functions: it captures the connecting pin, retains it during ejection, and can accommodate various pin sizes through its adjustable jaw mechanism. The mooring link provides additional anchoring functionality. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate devices, thereby controlling overall device complexity while maintaining high reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the clamp collar is made selectively adjustable to accommodate various sizes of connecting pins, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp collar incorporates a movable jaw that can be adjusted to different positions, enabling it to accommodate various connecting pin sizes dynamically. This single dynamic adjustment mechanism provides universal adaptability without requiring multiple fixed-size clamps or complex interchangeable component systems, thus improving versatility while controlling device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6(a)~7(b)
AI summary
A fall arrest safety device (1) for restraining and preventing the fall of a connecting pin (5) used for butt-jointing two structural members (61, 62) of a structure (6), comprising: - a clamping collar (2) having at least one internal groove, configurable between an open position allowing the insertion of an enlarged head (50) of the connecting pin, and at least one closed position securing the enlarged head within the internal groove; - a locking mechanism (3) cooperating with the clamping collar to lock it in the closed position; - a lashing (4) anchored to the clamping collar for securing the device to a fixed element, such as one of the two structural members. The invention finds application in restraining a connecting pin used in a crane structure during the disassembly of the two structural members.