Double-Hinged Knuckle Joints for Pump Crane Hose Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pump cranes for slurry wagons and trailers have limited flexibility and a short service life due to internal hose integration, requiring cumbersome and expensive replacements, and struggle with reaching covered storage tanks due to limited reach and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
The use of double-hinged knuckle joints with a physical distance between pivot points, allowing for natural hose bending and larger flexibility, combined with assembled hose connections for easy replacement, and a telescopic joint for extended reach, reduces hose stress and enhances operational flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the crane arm uses internal hose integration with maximal bending of about 100° in each joint, then the flexibility and movement possibilities of the crane arm are achieved, but the service life of the hose becomes very short and the risk of hose collapse becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The hose is divided into multiple separate sections instead of being integrated as a single internal component. Each hose section can be independently replaced, and the sections are connected through external couplings at the knuckle joints, allowing the hose to be segmented into manageable replaceable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose is extracted from the internal integration and made externally accessible through the knuckle joints. The hose sections are now external to the crane arm structure, allowing them to be easily removed and replaced without dismantling the entire crane arm assembly.
2Device complexity
If the hose is integrated within the crane arm, then the structure is compact, but the replacement of the hose becomes cumbersome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The hose is divided into multiple separate sections instead of being integrated as a single internal component. Each hose section can be independently replaced, and the sections are connected through external couplings at the knuckle joints, allowing the hose to be segmented into manageable replaceable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose is extracted from the internal integration and made externally accessible through the knuckle joints. The hose sections are now external to the crane arm structure, allowing them to be easily removed and replaced without dismantling the entire crane arm assembly.
3Device complexity
If the crane arm has limited reach and flexibility, then the structure is simpler, but it becomes necessary to move the vehicle when unfolding and folding the crane to position the pump head correctly
Solution Approach 1:
The knuckle joints are designed with double-hinged connections that allow dynamic adjustment of the crane arm configuration. The physical distance between pivot points enables the hose to naturally bend along a soft curve, providing continuous adaptability in positioning the pump head without requiring vehicle movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The double-hinged knuckle joints change the geometric parameters of the hose routing by introducing a physical distance between pivot points. This parameter change allows the hose to achieve larger bending radii and softer curves, expanding the working area and flexibility of the crane arm.
4Device complexity
If the knuckle joints use single-hinged connection, then the structure is simpler, but the hose bending radius becomes too small and the risk of hose collapse increases
Solution Approach 1:
The knuckle joints are designed with double-hinged connections that allow dynamic adjustment of the crane arm configuration. The physical distance between pivot points enables the hose to naturally bend along a soft curve, providing continuous adaptability in positioning the pump head without requiring vehicle movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The double-hinged knuckle joints change the geometric parameters of the hose routing by introducing a physical distance between pivot points. This parameter change allows the hose to achieve larger bending radii and softer curves, expanding the working area and flexibility of the crane arm.
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
A pump crane is disclosed, being mounted on a slurry wagon (1) or trailer by means of a turntable and comprising a crane arm with intermediate parts (12, 15, 16) connected by knuckle joints (13), a piping from the turntable to a hydraulic pump head (5), and means for pumping slurry through the piping, wherein the pump crane further comprises means for swinging, raising, lowering, unfolding and folding the crane arm and the piping is composed of solid pipe sections in the intermediate parts and flexible slurry hoses (8) in the knuckle joints, which are double-hinged, each knuckle joint being rotatably connected to two intermediate parts in such a way that there is a physical distance between the two pivot points, in which the knuckle joint can be rotated relatively to each of the two intermediate parts, respectively. Furthermore, a slurry wagon or trailer (1) comprising such a pump crane is disclosed.