Modular Lifting Sling System with Selective Leg Coupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current lifting sling systems are heavy, pose safety risks due to manual handling and potential overloading, and require multiple units for different loads, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A streamlined lifting sling system with a reduced number of units, including single and dual sling leg portions, and an information carrier for safe load limits, allowing for selective coupling and quick connection to a lifting hook, minimizing hardware and ensuring safe operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple lifting sling units with different numbers of legs are used to handle different loads, then the system can accommodate various lifting requirements, but the total weight of the equipment increases and handling becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle different loadsVSAvoidweight of lifting sling units

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting sling unit is divided into modular components: a master link, multiple leg portions with coupling members, and connectors. These segments can be selectively assembled and disconnected to create different configurations (1-leg, 2-leg, 3-leg, or 4-leg setups) from a single set of components, eliminating the need to transport multiple complete sling units for different load requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A single lifting sling unit is designed to perform multiple functions by allowing selective coupling of different numbers of leg portions to the master link. The same basic unit can be configured for 1-leg, 2-leg, 3-leg, or 4-leg lifting operations, making one universal piece of equipment replace multiple specialized units, thereby reducing total equipment weight and complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If heavy lifting sling units with multiple legs are manually handled at the lifting site, then the units can be assembled and disconnected, but safety risks increase due to the weight

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to assemble and disconnect unitsVSAvoidsafety during manual handling

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the lifting sling into a master link and separate leg portions that can be selectively coupled, the system allows operators to assemble only the number of legs needed for each specific lifting task. This avoids manually handling and assembling complete heavy multi-leg units when fewer legs are required, thereby reducing manual handling weight while maintaining the ability to reconfigure for different loads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If lifting sling units are designed with fixed configurations for specific numbers of legs, then the working load limit can be clearly indicated, but the system requires multiple separate units for different configurations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclarity of working load limit indicationVSAvoidnumber of separate units required

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single universal lifting sling unit incorporates all leg portions and coupling members needed for 1-leg, 2-leg, 3-leg, and 4-leg configurations. An information carrier attached to the master link provides clear working load limit indications for each possible configuration, eliminating the need for multiple separate fixed-configuration units while maintaining unambiguous load limit guidance for each setup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting sling unit transitions from fixed configurations to a dynamic, reconfigurable system where leg portions can be selectively coupled or disconnected based on the specific lifting task. This dynamic adaptability allows one universal unit to replace multiple fixed-configuration units, reducing device complexity while an information carrier maintains clear working load limit indications for each configuration state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If all legs of a multi-leg lifting sling unit are used, then the load distribution can be optimized, but special measures are required to ensure equal load carrying among legs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload distribution efficiencyVSAvoidspecial measures for equal load distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each leg portion is designed as an independent, identical module with standardized coupling members. This segmentation into uniform components ensures that when multiple legs are coupled to the master link, they naturally have equal geometric and mechanical properties, facilitating equal load distribution without requiring complex balancing mechanisms or special adjustment devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8157304B2Lifting sling system

Publication Date: 2012.04.17 FRENOLINK FORVALTNINGS

AI summary

There is disclosed a lifting sling system for connecting various loads to a lifting hook (1), comprising a small number of combinable lifting sling units (10, 20), each consisting of a number of pre-assembled parts (11, 12, 13; 21, 22, 23). These units include at least one dual lifting sling unit (20) and possibly no more than two single lifting sling units (10). The units can be combined in a small number of predetermined combinations in accordance with information provided on an information carrier (32) which is permanently attached to the lifting sling system.