Oscillating Reel Assembly for Even Cable Winding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable/rope pulling devices require alignment with the direction of cable/rope installation, often necessitating the trailer to block traffic lanes and include additional costly components for independent actuating arms, which increases space and cost.
Innovation Solution
An elongated member pulling device with a support surface and rotatable reel assembly, featuring a guide device with adjustable rollers defining a closed geometry, allowing the reel assembly to oscillate for even winding, reducing component count and enabling universal adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an independent actuating arm is used for level winding, then even distribution of cable along the reel surface is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the actuating arm and take-up reel into a single integrated reel assembly that rotates as one unit. The actuating arm is fixed to the reel and moves together with it, eliminating the need for independent actuation mechanisms. This merging achieves level winding through the reel's own rotation while reducing device complexity and component count.
Solution Approach 2:
The reel assembly serves multiple functions: it acts as both the take-up reel and the actuating mechanism for level winding. The integrated design allows the same component to perform both cable collection and even distribution functions, reducing the need for separate specialized components and lowering overall device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the trailer is aligned with the cable direction, then proper cable collection is achieved, but traffic lane blocking occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The reel assembly is designed to be rotatable about a second axis that is transverse to the cable direction. This dynamic positioning capability allows the reel to orient itself perpendicular to the cable path, enabling the trailer to travel transverse to the cable direction without blocking traffic lanes, while still achieving effective cable collection through the guide device and oscillating rotation.
3Manufacturing precision
If additional components are added for independent actuation, then level winding capability is improved, but space and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating arm and take-up reel are merged into a single integrated assembly that occupies less space than separate components. The combined structure eliminates the need for additional actuators, mounting brackets, and control mechanisms that would be required for independent actuation, thereby reducing the overall volume of the moving object.
4Manufacturing precision
If the reel assembly oscillates about the second axis, then even winding is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reel assembly incorporates oscillating rotation about a second axis transverse to the cable direction. This dynamic oscillation allows the reel to sweep through an arc, distributing cable evenly across the reel surface as it rotates. The oscillating motion is achieved through the integrated design of the reel assembly, which combines both rotation axes without requiring separate complex actuation mechanisms for each degree of freedom.
Data Source
AI summary
An elongated member pulling device including a support surface and a reel assembly for rotatably carrying a take-up reel about a first axis for receiving an elongated member, the reel assembly rotatably carried by the support surface about a second axis. A guide device including a plurality of rollers defining a closed geometry for guiding the elongated member toward the reel assembly. In response to the elongated member being guidingly received through the guide device and rotatably collected by the take-up reel, the reel assembly being selectably oscillatingly rotatable about the second axis to permit even winding of the elongated member on the take-up reel.