Gantry Connection Member with Self-Engaging Shaft Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gantries for construction machines require manual engagement of the connecting rod and engagement groove to transition from a stored state to a working state, leading to potential damage and collision issues due to unsecured swinging during state changes.
Innovation Solution
A gantry design with a connection member featuring a shaft section and a shaft holding portion that automatically engages and disengages during state transitions, utilizing a guide and dislodgement prevention mechanism to secure the connection member in place, eliminating the need for manual engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the engaging pin and engagement groove are manually engaged to transition from stored state to working state, then the connection is secure and reliable, but the operation becomes burdensome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft section is designed to automatically engage with the shaft holding portion through its own weight and the guide portion, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The dislodgement prevention portion further ensures automatic secure engagement without human assistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide portion is positioned to preliminarily guide the shaft section into the correct trajectory before engagement, ensuring that the shaft section automatically aligns and engages with the shaft holding portion during the state transition.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the connecting rod is not fixed during state transition, then the structure allows free movement for state change, but the connecting rod may swing and collide causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft holding portion with dislodgement prevention portion is positioned to preemptively prevent the shaft section from dislodging during state transition, thereby preventing collision damage before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft section acts as an intermediary component that connects the connection member to the upper rear leg, mediating the state transition while preventing harmful collisions through its engagement mechanism.
3Extent of automation
If the shaft holding portion includes dislodgement prevention portion and guide portion, then the shaft section is automatically secured, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion and dislodgement prevention portion are merged into a single integrated shaft holding portion structure, achieving automatic engagement functionality without proportionally increasing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex features (guide portion and dislodgement prevention portion) are localized only to the shaft holding portion where they are needed, rather than distributing complexity throughout the entire gantry structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures the connection member is securely restrained during the working state, preventing damage and collisions, and automatically transitions between states without manual intervention, enhancing operational safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a shaft section protruding beyond the connection-member main body in an axial direction that is a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the connection member and orthogonal to the direction of moving toward or away from the upper rear leg, at a position between the first connection end portion and the second connection end portion in the connection-member main body
Implementation Method 2
a guide portion located on a rear side of the dislodgement prevention portion and configured to come into contact with the lower end portion of the shaft section of the connection member that is suspended by the weight of the connection member from the second connection end portion that is a rotation center, when the upper rear leg and the lower rear leg are raised to extend substantially vertically
Data Source
AI summary
A gantry for a construction machine. The gantry includes a front leg, an upper rear leg, a lower rear leg, and a connection member. The connection member connects an interconnection section for interconnecting the front leg and the upper rear leg to a base. The connection member includes an upper end portion rotatably connected to the interconnection section. The connection member includes a shaft section and the upper rear leg includes a shaft holding portion for holding the shaft section. The shaft holding portion includes a shaft holding surface for holding a lower end portion of the shaft section, a dislodgement prevention portion, and a guide portion inclined downward forward to guide the shaft section to the shaft holding surface. The shaft section climbs over the dislodgement prevention portion through relative displacement to the connection member in a rotation radial direction.