Forklift Column Assembly With External Cable Duct Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing column profiles in industrial trucks with driver's protective roofs or cabins require time-consuming cable routing and pose risks of damage due to sharp edges, making maintenance and replacement difficult.
Innovation Solution
A column arrangement with a concave section and a cover unit forms a cable duct outside the profile, allowing easy laying, securing, and access to cables, while being sealed from external influences, using a flat plate section or other shapes that attach via snap or screw connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cables are routed within column profiles, then cables are concealed and protected, but cable routing becomes time-consuming and maintenance/replacement becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The column profile is segmented into functional zones: a smooth bore section for cable routing, a concave section for cable organization and access, and an attachment section for mounting components. This segmentation allows cables to be routed externally along the bore while being organized and accessible at the concave section, eliminating the time-consuming process of pulling cables through the entire profile while maintaining protection during routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave section acts as an intermediary zone between the external environment and the internal cable routing path. It provides a dedicated space where cables can be organized, secured, and accessed without requiring disassembly of the entire column profile, thus facilitating maintenance while keeping cables protected during operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If cables are pulled through column profiles during installation, then cables are routed to overhead guard, but cable damage risk increases due to sharp edges near cutouts
Solution Approach 1:
The cable routing function is extracted from the load-bearing column profile structure. By providing a dedicated smooth bore section specifically designed for cable passage, the harmful sharp edges associated with structural cutouts are eliminated from the cable path, thereby protecting cable integrity while maintaining installation ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The column profile design anticipates potential cable damage by incorporating a smooth bore section before cables enter the concave section. This pre-cushioning approach ensures cables pass through protected zones without encountering sharp edges or rough surfaces that could cause damage during installation.
3Strength
If column profiles are used to support overhead guard, then structural support is provided, but cable routing within profiles becomes complex and maintenance difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The column profile is divided into distinct functional sections: the bore section maintains structural integrity and provides cable routing, while the separate concave section provides cable access and organization. This segmentation allows the structural function to be maintained without compromising cable maintenance accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable access function is moved from the internal hollow space to an external concave section on the column surface. This dimensional transition from internal to external access allows maintenance personnel to reach cables from the outside of the column profile without disassembling structural components, thereby maintaining both strength and ease of repair.
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
AI summary
The present invention relates to a column arrangement (28) for a forklift truck with a driver's overhead guard or cabin, comprising a column profile (100) extending along a direction of extension (E28), which includes at least one concave section (102) in a plane perpendicular to the direction of extension (E28), at least one mounting section (104) provided on the column profile (102), which is adjacent to or within the at least one concave section (102), and at least one cover unit (106), which can be attached to the at least one mounting section (104) by means of a counter section (114) and is designed to cover the corresponding concave section (102) of the column profile (100) at least section by section, so that a cable duct (118) is formed between the concave section (102) and the cover unit (106).