Electric Lug Loader With Dynamic Clamp Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional claw-type lug loaders are inefficient at handling lumber of varying widths, thicknesses, and shapes, often requiring backlog pressure and using hydraulic/air actuators and rubber bands, which can mark boards and perform poorly at higher speeds.
Innovation Solution
A lug loader with independently controllable clamp members and a control system that adjusts actuation points and clamping positions based on workpiece dimensions, angle, and torque sensing, allowing for precise engagement and release of workpieces without backlog pressure, using electric drives instead of hydraulic/air actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional claw-type lug loaders use hydraulic/air actuators and rubber bands to grasp boards, then the boards can be held and transported, but the boards may be marked on their surfaces and the system performs poorly at higher speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces hydraulic/air actuators with an electric motor-driven mechanical system. The electric motor rotates a shaft that directly drives the clamp members, eliminating the need for fluid actuators and rubber bands. This substitution reduces complexity and improves response time at higher speeds while avoiding surface marking through controlled mechanical engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using an electric motor with可控 speed and torque to replace the less controllable hydraulic/air system. The electric drive allows precise control of clamping force and rotation speed, enabling operation at higher speeds without compromising handling reliability or causing surface damage.
2Ease of operation
If conventional lug loaders rely on backlog pressure to feed boards, then the boards can be pushed into position, but the system cannot function well in the absence of a backlog or with feathered edge materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the backlog pressure feeding mechanism with an electric motor-driven rotation system. The electric motor directly rotates the shaft carrying the clamp members, eliminating the need for backlog pressure to advance materials. This allows the system to handle various material types including feathered edge materials that cannot be effectively pushed by backlog pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric motor-driven system provides self-powered operation, where the motor itself generates the rotational motion needed to present clamp members to the material. This eliminates dependence on external backlog pressure and enables the system to autonomously handle diverse materials without requiring them to be pre-positioned by backlog force.
3Device complexity
If conventional claw-type lug loaders are used, then the structure is simple, but the performance deteriorates at higher speeds and with variable dimension lumber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the simple but slow hydraulic/air actuation system with an electric motor-driven mechanical rotation system. The electric motor provides direct rotational drive to the shaft, enabling much higher operating speeds while maintaining relatively simple mechanical structures. This substitution achieves high-speed operation without proportionally increasing system complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional lug loaders handle variable width and thickness lumber, then the system must accommodate diverse dimensions, but the handling performance becomes poor with bowed, cupped, or crooked materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control through the electric motor-driven rotation system, which can adjust speed and torque in real-time. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to variable width, thickness, and irregular shapes of lumber during handling, maintaining reliable performance with bowed, cupped, or crooked materials that static systems cannot accommodate effectively.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provide an electric lug loader system. An electric lug loader may include a shaft assembly rotatably mounted to a frame that extends across a flow path. The shaft assembly may have shafts arranged radially around, and parallel to, the rotational axis of the shaft assembly, clamp members arranged along each of the shafts, support members arranged radially around the rotational axis and across the flow path, and electric drives coupled to the shafts. Conveyors may be coupled with the frame and spaced apart across the flow path upstream and/or downstream of the shaft assembly. Additional drives may be coupled with the shaft assembly and the conveyors. A controller may be configured to synchronize the drives to engage successive workpieces between the clamp members and the support members and deposit the workpieces onto a lugged conveyor. Other embodiments provide related methods and systems.