Bidirectional Rope Clamping Surface for Reliable Cable Guidance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rope clamping devices often fail to guide the rope safely and reliably into the clamping area and cannot provide secure clamping independent of the rope pulling direction.

Innovation Solution

A safety device for a rope featuring a clamping device with a surface configuration that includes a first and second wall section, where the first wall section has a transport element with a contact section that encloses a crossing angle between 15° and 75°, allowing the rope to be safely and reliably clamped regardless of the axial movement direction, and optionally incorporating ribs or structures that protrude into the clamping area for enhanced clamping and transport functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional clamping device is used, then the structure is simple, but the rope cannot be guided safely and reliably into the clamping area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverope guidance reliabilityVSAvoidsurface configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing surface configurations (transport elements) only in specific regions where rope guidance is needed, rather than making the entire clamping device complex. The first and second wall sections have targeted surface features that guide the rope into the clamping area, while other regions maintain simpler structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The transport elements on the wall sections perform preliminary action by guiding the rope into the correct position in the clamping area before the actual clamping occurs. This preliminary guidance ensures the rope is properly positioned regardless of the direction from which it approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a conventional clamping device is used, then the structure is simple, but secure clamping cannot be provided independent of the rope pulling direction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclamping reliabilityVSAvoidsurface design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetry in the surface configurations of the first and second wall sections. The transport elements are designed with specific asymmetric geometries that function effectively for rope movement in multiple directions, allowing the clamping device to reliably guide and clamp the rope regardless of the pulling direction without requiring symmetric designs from all sides.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The wall sections with transport elements serve multiple functions: they guide the rope into the clamping area, maintain proper rope positioning during clamping, and ensure reliable operation regardless of rope movement direction. This multi-functionality achieves direction-independent clamping reliability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If the crossing angle is increased to move the rope into the clamping area quickly, then the transport efficiency improves, but the clamping effect is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverope transport speedVSAvoidclamping effect
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the crossing angle of the transport elements to a specific range (15°-75°, preferably 30°-60°, particularly approximately 45°). This parameter optimization achieves a balance where the rope is moved into the clamping area efficiently while maintaining sufficient clamping effect, resolving the contradiction between transport speed and clamping effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If the crossing angle is decreased to improve the clamping effect, then the clamping force increases, but the rope movement into the clamping area becomes slower

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclamping effectVSAvoidrope transport speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction through parameter optimization by establishing that the crossing angle should be within the range of 15°-75°, preferably 30°-60°, and particularly approximately 45°. This optimized parameter range ensures both adequate rope transport speed into the clamping area and sufficient clamping effect, preventing the rope movement from becoming too slow while maintaining reliable clamping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3115643B1Clamping device for a cable
Publication Date: 2022.07.27 OBER ALP
  • EP3115643B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1c
  • EP3115643B1 patent drawingFigure 1e~3c
  • EP3115643B1 patent drawingFigure 3d~6a

AI summary

The invention provides a clamping device for a rope, comprising: a first wall section (116) and a second wall section opposite the first wall section, characterized in that the first wall section (116) has a surface design which is configured to move the rope into a clamping area (114) of the clamping device when moving within the clamping device in a first axial rope movement direction, and which is configured to move the rope into the clamping area (114) of the clamping device when moving within the clamping device in a second axial rope movement direction opposite to the first axial rope movement direction.