Telescoping Mast Stop Assembly for Cable Break Collapse Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable light towers with telescoping mast assemblies often experience rapid movement from the extended to the retracted position due to frayed or snapped cables, leading to undesirable and potentially damaging collapses.
Innovation Solution
A telescoping mast assembly with a stop device that includes a movable pin and pulley assembly, which can be engaged or disengaged to prevent the rapid movement of the mast from the extended to the retracted position, ensuring stability and preventing damage from sudden collapses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a telescoping mast assembly uses a winch and cable system to raise and lower the mast, then the mast can be extended to illuminate a greater area, but the cable may fray or snap over time causing rapid unwanted movement
Solution Approach 1:
The stop device is installed in advance on the mast structure to prevent the harmful effect of rapid collapse before it can occur. The stop creates a physical barrier that opposes the unwanted rapid movement, ensuring that even if the cable fails, the mast cannot collapse uncontrollably.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop device acts as a pre-positioned safety mechanism that cushions against the harmful effect of cable failure. By having the stop in place beforehand, the system is protected against the potential damage and rapid movement that would result from cable fraying or snapping.
2Ease of operation
If the cable snaps or frays, then the mast assembly moves rapidly from extended to retracted position, but this rapid movement causes damage and is undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The stop device is pre-installed on the mast to counteract the harmful rapid movement effect. When the cable fails, the stop immediately engages to prevent the mast from collapsing uncontrollably, thus protecting against damage while maintaining simple operation during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop device converts the potential harm of cable failure into a controlled event. Instead of allowing uncontrolled rapid collapse that causes damage, the stop guides the mast to a controlled retraction position, transforming a harmful failure mode into a safe operational outcome.
3Reliability
If a stop device is added to prevent rapid movement, then safety and stability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stop device is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently installed on the mast structure. This segmentation allows the safety function to be added without redesigning the entire mast assembly, thereby improving reliability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop device serves as an intermediary safety component between the mast structure and the potential harmful effect of rapid collapse. It is a simple mechanical element that mediates the interaction between the mast and the cable system, providing safety without requiring complex control systems or extensive modifications to the existing design.
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
The stop device effectively restricts the telescoping mast's movement, preventing sudden collapses and ensuring safe operation by maintaining the mast in the extended position even if the cable breaks, thus minimizing damage and ensuring the mast remains stable.
Implementation Method 1
The movable portion comprises a pin extending through the at least one opening of the outer pillar and a pulley affixed to the pin
Data Source
AI summary
A telescoping mast assembly with stop device. The telescoping mast assembly includes multiple pillars, one or more of which is able to be moved between an extended position and a retracted position. The stop device is mountable to the telescoping mast assembly and functions to prevent the rapid movement of the telescoping mast assembly from the extended position to the retracted position. The stop device includes a pin coupled to a pulley and is movable between an engaged position, in which the stop device restricts the movement a pillar, and a disengaged position in which the stop device does not restrict the movement of the pillar.