Modular Crane Carrier Body with Detachable Jib Connections

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The production, transport, and assembly of cranes with laterally cantilevered crane booms are inefficient due to the lack of modular design and separate manufacturing of components, leading to alignment issues and increased wear on mechanical components.

Innovation Solution

A crane design where the support body is manufactured as a structural unit with detachable connection surfaces for the running gear and crane boom, allowing for the use of different materials and enabling a modular structure for simplified transport and assembly, with vertically spaced running gears to distribute forces effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the crane boom and support body are manufactured as integrated units, then structural strength is improved, but production efficiency and assembly ease deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The crane is divided into separate modular components: the support body (2) and the crane boom (3) are manufactured independently and then connected through detachable connections. This segmentation enables parallel production of components, improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining structural integrity through precise connection interfaces (2a-2d, 3a).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support body is designed as a universal platform with multiple connection surfaces (2a-2d) that can accommodate different crane boom configurations and running gear arrangements. This multi-functionality allows the same support body structure to serve various operational requirements without compromising strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If the crane components are manufactured separately and connected detachably, then assembly ease and transport simplicity are improved, but manufacturing precision and alignment accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidalignment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Connection surfaces (2a-2d on the support body and 3a on the crane boom) are pre-manufactured with high precision during the separate manufacturing process. This preliminary action ensures that when components are assembled detachably, the alignment accuracy matches integrated manufacturing quality, eliminating the typical precision loss associated with separate assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The connection surfaces act as intermediary elements between the support body and crane boom. These precisely engineered interfaces (with connection bores 2n and 3n) serve as mediators that transfer loads accurately while enabling easy assembly and disassembly, reconciling the contradiction between detachable connection and manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If modular design with detachable connections is used, then transport simplicity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport simplicityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The crane system is segmented into transportable modules (support body 2 and crane boom 3) that can be moved separately to the installation site and then quickly assembled. This segmentation directly improves transport simplicity while the standardized connection interfaces minimize the complexity increase by providing clear assembly instructions and procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Force

If running gear are arranged vertically spaced from each other, then force distribution is improved, but structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforce distributionVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The running gear are arranged in the vertical dimension (spaced at different heights on the support body) rather than only in horizontal planes. This vertical spacing optimizes force distribution by creating favorable leverage arms and load paths, while the vertical arrangement naturally integrates into the support body structure without adding excessive horizontal complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2643259B1Crane having a crane jib, in particular a bracket crane
Publication Date: 2016.03.09 TEREX MHPS IP MANAGEMENT GMBH
  • EP2643259B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2643259B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2643259B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a crane (1), comprising a laterally projecting crane jib (3), on which a hoisting device is arranged and which is connected to at least one carrier body (2), which, together with the crane jib (3), can travel along an upper guide rail (7) and a lower guide rail (8) by way of traveling gears (4a, 4b, 4c), wherein in each case the upper and the lower guide rails (7, 8), and correspondingly, the traveling gears (4a, 4b, 4c), are arranged spaced vertically from one another. In order to provide a crane (1) comprising a laterally projecting crane jib (3), in particular a bracket crane or a traveling crane, the manufacture, transport and installation of which are optimized, according to the invention the at least one carrier body (2) is designed as one component and connecting surfaces (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) are arranged on said carrier body, to which a respective traveling gear (4a, 4b, 4c) and the crane jib (3) can be detachably fastened.