Pylon Barrel Guide Assembly for Safe Self-Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guidance systems for assembling pylon shafts onto support bases are vulnerable to damage and pose risks to operators due to the need for precise alignment of bolted fastening elements, particularly when the pylon is large and heavy, requiring manual guidance during assembly.
Innovation Solution
A guidance system comprising a male and female guide element with fixing means, where the male element is secured to the support base and the female element is positioned within the pylon shaft, minimizing damage risks and allowing for remote guidance during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If operators manually guide the pylon shaft during assembly to ensure precise alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but operator safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces guide elements (male and female guide elements with centering slots and guiding surfaces) as intermediary components between the pylon shaft and support base. These intermediaries perform the alignment function automatically, eliminating the need for operators to physically guide the heavy pylon shaft, thus maintaining precision while ensuring operator safety
Solution Approach 2:
The guide elements are designed to enable self-alignment of the pylon shaft during lowering. The male guide element on the support base engages with the female guide element on the pylon shaft, and their geometric shapes (centering slots, guiding surfaces) automatically guide the shaft into correct position without human intervention, achieving both precision and safety
2Ease of operation
If the female guide element is attached to the pylon shaft as in prior art, then guidance function is provided, but vulnerability to damage increases during approach phase
Solution Approach 1:
The female guide element is nested within the internal volume of the pylon shaft rather than being attached to its external surface. This nesting protects the guide element from external impacts during the approach phase, as it is surrounded by the shaft structure itself, while still performing its guidance function when engaged with the male guide element
Solution Approach 2:
The guide elements are pre-positioned on the support base and pylon shaft before assembly. The male guide element is fixed to the support base and the female guide element is positioned inside the pylon shaft, so that when the shaft is lowered, the guidance action occurs automatically during the lowering process itself, preventing damage before it can occur
Data Source
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AI summary
This guide device (24), for assembling a pylon shaft (10) onto a support base (12) placed on the ground, comprises a male guide element (26), extending from a base (30) where it has its maximum width to a free apex (32) of minimum width, and a female guide element (28), with a profiled centering slot (38) configured to receive the male guide element (26) by its free apex (32), intended to be integral with the pylon shaft (10). The male guide element (26) is provided with fastening means (34) designed to secure it to the support base (12) by its base (30) from which it extends to its free apex (32). The female guide element (28) is provided with fastening means (42) designed to position and secure it within an internal volume of the pylon shaft (10).