Crane Assembly Cage Locking Against Accidental Connector Loosening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crane mounting systems face safety concerns during assembly due to accidental loosening of connection elements, which can lead to detachment and tilting, and rely on costly sensor monitoring to mitigate these risks.
Innovation Solution
A mounting system with mechanical fixing elements, such as padlocks or torque transmission segments, that prevent accidental loosening of connection elements, ensuring only authorized personnel can remove them, thereby enhancing safety without excessive costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are used to monitor the condition of connecting elements, then safety of the mounting process is improved, but costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex sensor systems with simple, inexpensive mechanical fastening elements that can be easily manufactured and replaced. These fastening elements provide reliable safety functionality at minimal cost, embodying the principle of using cheap, simple components to solve complex safety problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes electronic sensor-based monitoring systems with a purely mechanical fastening system. The mechanical fastening elements physically prevent accidental loosening through their design (e.g., locking mechanisms, non-removable features), eliminating the need for complex electronic monitoring while maintaining or improving safety.
2Ease of manufacture
If standard connecting elements are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but accidental loosening and detachment risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting element system is divided into two functional parts: the standard connecting element itself (which maintains ease of manufacture) and the separate fastening element (which provides safety). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the connecting element for manufacturability and the fastening element for safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening element acts as an intermediary between the standard connecting elements, adding safety functionality without replacing the original connecting elements. This intermediary component preserves the ease of manufacture of standard elements while introducing the necessary safety features to prevent accidental loosening.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A mounting system for a crane (1) is executed with a cage (22) movable along a tower (7) of the crane (1), which can be removably connected to an upper part (11) of the crane (1) by connecting elements (31), and with at least one fixing element (34) for fixing preventing accidental loosening of at least one connecting element (31).