Excavator Undercarriage Cable Crane Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable cranes used in forestry work are inefficient as they can only be used for either excavation or wood processing, requiring sequential task processing and limiting overall efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cable crane system is designed to be coupled with an excavator's undercarriage, allowing simultaneous operation and energy sharing, enabling efficient wood harvesting and processing by allowing the crane to be transported and used in impassable terrain without separate transport means, with a flexible and energy-efficient design that maintains the excavator's functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cable crane is mounted on a truck or designed as a separate mobile device, then it can be transported independently, but it requires separate transport means and cannot be used simultaneously with an excavator
Solution Approach 1:
The cable crane is integrated with the excavator by coupling the lower mast part to the excavator's undercarriage. This merging allows the cable crane to be transported with the excavator and enables simultaneous operation of both the excavator and cable crane functions, eliminating the need for separate transport means and improving functional versatility while reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The excavator with the integrated cable crane becomes a multi-functional system that can perform both excavation tasks and cable crane operations simultaneously. The upper carriage can rotate around the vertical axis to perform excavation while the cable crane transports tree trunks, allowing parallel task execution and eliminating sequential processing requirements
2Productivity
If the cable crane is connected to the undercarriage of an excavator, then simultaneous operation is enabled, but the cable crane requires power from the excavator
Solution Approach 1:
The cable crane utilizes the excavator's existing power supply system through the coupling device, eliminating the need for a separate power source. The cable crane's cable winch and other units are powered directly from the excavator's engine or hydraulic system, allowing the cable crane to serve itself by leveraging the excavator's resources
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply systems are merged by connecting the cable crane to the excavator's drive unit. This integration allows shared use of the excavator's engine, hydraulic system, or electrical system, reducing total energy requirements and enabling simultaneous operation without additional power sources
3Ease of operation
If the upper carriage rotates around the vertical axis, then the excavator can move relative to the undercarriage, but the cable crane position may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The mast is divided into a lower mast part that couples to the undercarriage and an upper mast part that forms the cable crane structure. This segmentation allows the lower part to remain stationary relative to the undercarriage while the upper carriage rotates, maintaining cable crane position stability while enabling excavator maneuverability
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device acts as an intermediary between the undercarriage and the cable crane. It provides a stable mounting point on the undercarriage that allows the upper carriage to rotate freely without affecting the cable crane's position relative to the ground, decoupling the rotation movement from the cable crane structure
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cable crane for logging operations, comprising a mast to which a cable for transporting logs and the like can be attached. To achieve efficient logging even in difficult terrain, the invention provides a coupling device (3) with which a lower mast section (1) can be connected to an undercarriage (5) of an excavator (4), which has an undercarriage (5) and an upper carriage (6) rotatably connected to the undercarriage (5) about a vertical axis of rotation (7).