Modular Steel Lift Structure With Screw-Jointed Load-Bearing Frames

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing self-supporting steel constructions for lifting equipment face challenges such as prolonged on-site installation, reliance on welder skills, fire risks from welding, lower stability and load-bearing capacity, especially in exterior installations, and complex manufacturing processes that are time and cost-intensive.

Innovation Solution

A component composed assembly of steel structure using horizontally interconnected vertical pillars with mirror-inverted angular connecting components and closed profiles, eliminating welding through standardized screw connections, ensuring stability and load-bearing capacity without on-site welding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If standard self-supporting welded structures are used, then high load-bearing capacity and design simplicity are achieved, but prolonged on-site installation, fire risks from welding, and dependence on welder skills occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing capacityVSAvoidinstallation duration
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The structure components (vertical pillars, horizontal beams, connecting components) are pre-manufactured with precise dimensions and connection interfaces in a controlled workshop environment. The threaded connections and mounting holes are prepared in advance, allowing for rapid assembly on-site without welding operations, thus reducing installation time while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The structure is divided into modular components including vertical pillars, horizontal beams, and standardized connecting components that can be manufactured separately and assembled on-site. This segmentation enables parallel manufacturing of multiple components and simplifies the installation process, as each module can be independently prepared and then quickly connected using threaded fasteners

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If pre-manufactured structures with on-site installation eliminating welding are used, then fire risks and installation time are reduced, but stability and load-bearing capacity decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire riskVSAvoidload-bearing capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting components feature localized reinforcement at critical stress points, including thickened connection zones, integrated stiffening ribs, and optimized thread engagement lengths. These local quality enhancements concentrate structural strength where needed most - at the connection interfaces between pillars and beams - while the rest of the components maintain standardized dimensions, achieving high load-bearing capacity without requiring welding throughout the entire structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The structure utilizes composite construction combining metal profile elements with reinforced connecting components made from bent metal sheets. This composite approach integrates the high strength-to-weight ratio of standardized profiles with the tailored reinforcement of custom-formed connecting pieces, creating a hybrid system that achieves welded-structure-level strength through mechanical connections alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If pre-manufactured structures with bent metal sheets and screw connections are used, then welding operations are eliminated, but component stability and joint strength are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidjoint stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting components are pre-manufactured with precisely formed threading, pre-drilled mounting holes, and pre-integrated reinforcement features in a controlled workshop environment. This preliminary preparation ensures that when components are assembled on-site, the connections engage immediately with proper alignment and predetermined strength characteristics, eliminating the need for field welding while guaranteeing joint reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The connecting components utilize changed geometric parameters including increased thickness in connection zones, optimized thread pitch and depth, and strategically positioned reinforcement ribs. These parameter modifications transform standard metal sheets into high-strength connecting elements that can withstand elevated loads through mechanical threading alone, achieving reliability previously attainable only through welding

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4334231B1Component composed assembly of steel structure for lifting equipment
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 SKOVAJSA JIRI
  • EP4334231B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4334231B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4334231B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The component composed steel structure for lifting equipment that consists of the elevating system composed of vertical pillars that are horizontally interconnected with crossbeams, where the back pillars (2) are through sets of identical mirror-inverted angular joints (16) and sets of identical mirror-inverted L-joints (17) connected to side crossbeams (3) and back crossbeams (4) via threaded joints (18), while frontal pillars (1) are through bent L-joints (22) and bent space joints (23) connected to side crossbeams (3), via threaded joints (18), and through small bent L-joints (15) of frontal profiles connected to frontal crossbeams (5) via threaded joints (18), and through flat L-joints (26) connected to gantry profiles (24) via threaded joints (18), wherein the vertical components of frontal and back pillars (1,2) are interconnected using columnar joints (20).