Rotatable Fork Blade Recess for Cable Drum Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The handling of cable drums, particularly during transport, storage, and unwinding, poses challenges due to their dimensions and weight, requiring additional safety measures and equipment, and existing solutions do not adequately ensure occupational safety.
Innovation Solution
A device with rotatable fork tines featuring recesses for receiving a shaft, allowing secure handling and storage of loads by accommodating the shaft, thereby reducing the need for additional workers and enhancing safety during transport and unwinding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cable drums are transported on forklift forks, then the load can be moved, but the cable drum may slip or roll off creating safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The fork blade's recess automatically secures the shaft through its geometry. When the shaft is placed on the fork blade, the recess (with its bottom and side wall) self-activates to prevent the shaft from slipping or rolling off, eliminating the need for additional safety devices or workers
Solution Approach 2:
The recess acts as an intermediary element between the shaft and the fork blade. This recess structure mediates the interaction by providing a geometric constraint that prevents the shaft from moving off the fork blade during transport
2Reliability
If a second worker is used to prevent cable drum from slipping, then safety is improved, but labor cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs the safety function automatically through the recess structure on the fork blade. The recess geometry itself provides the securing action, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for additional human workers
3Productivity
If cable drums are transported upright on forklift, then space is utilized, but safety risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recess structure on the fork blade automatically secures the shaft regardless of the transport orientation. The geometric design of the recess (with bottom and side wall) provides inherent stability that prevents the cable drum from falling, even during upright transport
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device (1) for handling loads with at least two fork prongs (3), the fork blades (5) thereof being rotatably mounted relative to the fork rear (4). The fork blades (5) have at least one recess (8) for receiving a shaft.