Reel Storage System With Pivot Arms And Winch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for storing and deploying reels, particularly for antenna offset cables, are inefficient as they do not allow easy storage and unrolling of multiple reels simultaneously and lack optimized storage solutions.
Innovation Solution
A reel storage and deployment system featuring a fixed frame with horizontally deployable arms, a winch, and pulley systems that enable simultaneous or individual winding and unwinding of reels, with arms that can pivot and be maneuvered using cables, allowing for vertical stacking in storage position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If reels are stored vertically in stacked position, then storage volume is maximized, but reel accessibility and deployment speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The arm is designed to be movable between vertical storage position and horizontal deployment position, allowing the system to dynamically switch between maximizing storage volume and enabling fast reel access. The arm can be maneuvered using cable-driven winches to transition reels from stacked storage to operational positions efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage system divides reels into multiple stacks on separate arms, with each arm independently controllable. This segmentation allows one reel to be deployed from a horizontal arm while other reels remain in vertical storage positions, maintaining both compact storage and rapid deployment capability.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple reels are stored simultaneously, then storage capacity is improved, but system complexity and maneuvering difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple arms share the same cable-driven winch mechanism and control system, allowing a single set of maneuvering components to handle multiple reels independently. The winches can operate on different arms simultaneously or sequentially, providing universal control for high-capacity storage without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Cables act as intermediaries between the winches and the arms, transmitting force efficiently to maneuver multiple arms and reels. This cable-driven intermediary mechanism simplifies the direct connection requirements between control systems and multiple moving components.
3Volume of stationary object
If arms are made long to increase storage capacity, then storage volume is improved, but structural stability and manufacturing cost worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The arms are designed with adjustable length capability, allowing optimization between storage capacity and structural stability based on operational requirements. The arms can be maneuvered to horizontal positions only when needed for deployment, reducing the need for excessively long permanently extended structures.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functional elements are combined into integrated arm structures that include mounting points for reels, cables, and maneuvering mechanisms. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining adequate storage capacity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates easy handling and interchangeability of reels, maximizes storage volume while minimizing bulk, and enables efficient deployment without specialized tools.
Implementation Method 1
The horizontal fixed part comprises several pulleys and the vertical frame comprises one or more pulleys, allowing the cable C to pass between the winch and the top S of the vertical frame
Implementation Method 2
a winch and at least one cable C for maneuvering the arms BS
Implementation Method 3
each of the uprights comprises a support for a cylinder which makes it possible to push an arm on which the reels are stacked
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system for storing and deploying reels, said system including a stationary frame (1, 2), two arms that at least hold said reels TO, a winch (40), and a cable for controlling the arms so that they are in a horizontal position when deploying the reels and in a vertical position when storing the reels.