Crate Lifting Mechanism With Extendable Supports for Confined Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transportation and handling of heavy crates in industrial, commercial, and logistical environments pose challenges due to the need for manual labor or specialized machinery like forklifts, which are impractical in confined spaces and risky for personnel safety.
Innovation Solution
A versatile crate lifting system utilizing extendable supports and lifters with rotating wheels, or boots and bolts, that can lift and move crates efficiently without extensive manual labor, adaptable to various orientations and positions, including against walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If manual labor or forklifts are used to move heavy crates, then the lifting capacity is sufficient, but the risk of injury to personnel increases and the system becomes impractical in confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary lifting mechanism consisting of extendable supports and lifters that act as a mediator between the heavy crate and the operators. This intermediary system transfers the lifting force requirement from human operators to the mechanical lifting components, thereby eliminating direct physical strain on personnel while maintaining sufficient lifting capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical systems (manual lifting or forklifts) with a specialized lifting mechanism that uses extendable supports and rotating bolts. This substitution eliminates the need for operators to directly engage with heavy loads or maneuver large forklifts in confined spaces, thereby reducing injury risk while preserving lifting capability.
2Force
If forklifts are used to move heavy crates, then the lifting capacity is sufficient, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lifting function into separate, modular components: extendable supports, lifters, and rotating bolts. Each component performs a specific function and can be independently operated. This segmentation reduces the overall complexity compared to a single integrated forklift system while maintaining the required lifting capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting mechanism is designed with universal applicability to handle crates of various sizes and weights. The extendable supports and adjustable lifters can accommodate different crate dimensions, eliminating the need for specialized equipment for different load types. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by replacing multiple specialized machines with a single adaptable system.
3Device complexity
If traditional lifting methods are used, then the equipment is simple, but the productivity and efficiency of moving heavy crates decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates dynamic elements such as extendable supports that can adjust their length and lifters that can be positioned at various heights. This dynamic adjustability allows the system to efficiently handle crates of different sizes and positions without requiring complex reconfiguration, thereby improving productivity while maintaining relatively simple equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting mechanism is designed to be self-contained and self-operating to the extent possible. The rotating bolts self-lock during the lifting process, and the extendable supports automatically adjust to maintain stability. This self-service characteristic reduces the need for complex control systems and manual intervention, improving efficiency while keeping equipment simplicity intact.
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
The system simplifies the process of moving heavy crates, reduces the risk of injury, and increases efficiency in spaces with space constraints and safety concerns, enabling safe and easy handling of crates of varying sizes and weights.
Implementation Method 1
a set of bolts that engage with the extendable supports through the set of lifters, wherein the set of bolts are configured to lift the crate as the set of bolts are rotated
Implementation Method 2
a set of rotating wheels attached to each electronic lifter, the set of rotating wheels facilitating movement of the lifted crate
Data Source
AI summary
A crate lifting system can include two or more extendable supports configured to slide under a crate and a set of lifters attachable, each of the lifters to be attached to an end of the extendable supports, wherein each lifter is configured to raise the crate from a surface. The crate lifting system can also include a set of bolts that engage with the extendable supports through the set of lifters, wherein the set of bolts are configured to lift the crate as the set of bolts are rotated.