Crawl Space Winch Base Plate Anchoring and Sliding Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
In tight, confined spaces like crawl spaces and basements, transporting heavy materials is challenging due to limited clearance, often requiring manual labor and time-consuming methods such as dragging materials by hand.
Innovation Solution
A portable winch system with a base plate, winch box, winch mechanism, and anchor system that allows for easy installation and secure anchoring to the ground, enabling the efficient pulling of heavy loads using a cable and drive shaft powered by a portable electric tool, along with features like upturned edges for sliding and secondary anchors for added stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual labor is used to transport heavy materials in confined spaces, then the equipment complexity is reduced, but the time and effort required increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The winch system is divided into separate functional modules: a base plate for anchoring, a winch box for housing the mechanism, and a cable for loading attachment. This segmentation allows the system to be assembled in confined spaces while providing automated winching capability to reduce time and effort.
2Force
If a portable winch system is installed in confined spaces, then the capability to pull heavy loads is improved, but the installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate includes upturned edge portions that automatically facilitate sliding on the ground and resist digging in during installation. The anchor openings are pre-configured to receive anchors of appropriate sizes, allowing the system to be self-installing in confined crawl spaces without requiring complex installation procedures.
3Ease of operation
If the base plate is designed with upturned edges for sliding, then the ease of movement is improved, but the stability in wet and dirty environments may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate is segmented into functional zones: upturned edges for sliding movement, anchor openings for stability, and drain holes for wet environment management. This segmentation allows the plate to simultaneously achieve ease of movement and stability through different regions serving different functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The upturned edges that might otherwise dig into the ground are designed to facilitate sliding movement. The drain holes in the base plate convert the harmful effect of water accumulation into a beneficial drainage function, maintaining stability in wet and dirty crawl space environments.
4Reliability
If secondary anchors are added to secure the base plate, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring system is segmented into primary and secondary anchor openings, allowing different anchors to be used for different functions. Primary anchors provide main securing, while secondary anchors provide additional stability. This segmentation enables reliable anchoring without requiring all components to be complex.
Data Source
AI summary
A crawl space winch system including a base plate; a winch box carried by said base plate; a winch mechanism disposed in said winch box and having a cable extending out of an opening in a front side of said winch box for attaching to an item; a winch drive shaft extending through a sidewall of said winch box and being operatively associated with said winch mechanism for retracting said cable; and, a primary anchor opening disposed in a generally central portion of said base plate for receiving a portion of a primary anchor to secure said base plate to the ground, and wherein said primary anchor provides a pivot point around which said base plate rotates.