Floor-to-Floor Mini Crane Lifting via Climbing Hydraulic Pistons
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and insurance expenses associated with traditional tower cranes for high-rise building construction, coupled with reduced lifting capacity needs due to the shift from hoisting concrete to pumping concrete, necessitate a more economical and efficient crane delivery method.
Innovation Solution
A crane lifting system utilizing a multi-floor channel with cutouts for a climbing hydraulic piston system, allowing a mobile, slab-based crane to be elevated from floor to floor, eliminating the need for in-building cranes and associated costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a traditional tower crane is used for high-rise building construction, then heavy loads can be lifted from the ground to the building, but the cost including setup, breakdown, and insurance becomes extremely expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The crane system is divided into multiple modular tower sections that can be assembled floor-by-floor. Each tower section is a self-contained module that can be easily installed and connected to the previous section, replacing the need for a single large expensive tower crane with multiple smaller modular units
Solution Approach 2:
The crane is transported horizontally through building cutouts and elevators to the construction floor, then assembled vertically. This changes the delivery dimension from vertical lifting (traditional crane method) to horizontal transport followed by vertical assembly, avoiding the need for expensive ground-based tower crane setup
2Adaptability or versatility
If a tower crane is used to hoist concrete buckets to construction floors, then concrete delivery is possible, but the system becomes obsolete when concrete pumping technology is adopted
Solution Approach 1:
The crane system is designed to be dynamic and relocatable, moving from floor to floor as construction progresses. The modular tower can be disassembled, transported, and reassembled on each new construction level, adapting to the changing construction needs without requiring a permanent ground-based installation
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of investing in expensive permanent tower crane infrastructure, the system uses affordable modular crane sections that are assembled temporarily on each floor, used for that floor's construction needs, then disassembled and moved to the next level. This replaces long-term expensive infrastructure with short-term affordable solutions
3Ease of manufacture
If a mobile slab-based crane is elevated floor-to-floor using a climbing hydraulic piston system, then construction costs are reduced, but the system requires complex installation of cutouts, support collars, and lift ladders
Solution Approach 1:
Cutouts are incorporated into the building floor design from the beginning, and support collars are pre-installed during floor construction. This preliminary preparation simplifies the subsequent crane installation process, as the structural elements are already in place to support the modular crane sections
Solution Approach 2:
The support collars and lift ladders serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for the modular crane sections, serve as guides for crane assembly, and enable the climbing mechanism to elevate the crane to the next floor. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed embodiments provide an accelerated construction technique that is well-suited for concrete steel-reinforced buildings. As construction of a building continues, and new floors are built, cutouts in each floor are formed that are vertically aligned with each other to form a multi-floor channel. A climbing hydraulic piston system is installed in the multi-floor channel. The hydraulic piston system lifts a mobile, slab-based mini crane. The climbing hydraulic piston system elevates the crane to a sufficient height to build the next floor slab. Then the crane is lowered onto the slab to be used for construction activities on that floor. The process can be repeated as needed until the final level of the building is constructed. The climbing hydraulic piston systems is then removed from the channel and lowered to the ground by the crane. The crane is then disassembled and removed via the building freight elevator.