Seamless Rope Drum Shell Rolling for Pressure-Resistant Winches

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rope winches face limitations in producing large drum casings with varying wall thicknesses and diameters while maintaining high pressure resistance, as traditional methods like welding or drawing result in structural defects and restricted dimensions.

Innovation Solution

The drum casing is produced seamlessly by rolling an annular workpiece blank, allowing for non-cutting formation of the rope groove profile and enabling larger dimensions without joints or irregularities, thus enhancing stability and material versatility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If the drum casing is produced by welding bent metal sheets, then large dimensions and varying wall thicknesses can be achieved, but structural defects and joints reduce reliability and pressure resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrum casing dimensions and wall thickness variationVSAvoidstructural homogeneity and pressure resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate metal sheet components into a single seamless drum casing produced by rolling an annular blank. This eliminates the need for welding joints between segments, achieving structural homogeneity while maintaining the ability to produce large dimensions and varying wall thicknesses through the rolling process itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the welding process entirely from the manufacturing sequence by using a rolling method that produces a seamless drum casing. This removes the source of structural defects and joints, improving reliability and pressure resistance while still achieving the required shape and dimensional variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the drum casing is produced by drawing a pipe, then seamless construction improves reliability, but only limited dimensions (diameters up to 700 mm and wall thicknesses up to 50 mm) can be manufactured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseamless construction without jointsVSAvoiddrum diameter and wall thickness range

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the key manufacturing parameter from pipe drawing to rolling of an annular blank. This parameter change enables seamless construction like drawing while dramatically expanding the achievable dimension range, allowing drum diameters and wall thicknesses far beyond the 700 mm and 50 mm limits of traditional drawing methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The rolling method provides universal applicability across a wide range of drum dimensions and wall thicknesses. A single manufacturing process can produce seamless casings from small to very large dimensions, making the method versatile and adaptable to different application requirements unlike the limited drawing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If traditional welding or drawing methods are used, then production is restricted to certain dimensions, but the rolling method enables larger diameters and thicker walls with improved structural homogeneity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrum diameter and wall thickness rangeVSAvoidstructural homogeneity and absence of defects

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the welding mechanical system with a rolling mechanical system. This substitution eliminates welding-related defects and joints while enabling larger dimensions. The rolling process inherently produces superior structural homogeneity through continuous plastic deformation of the annular blank, achieving both extended dimensional range and improved manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This method allows for the production of rope winches with larger diameters and thicker walls, improved structural homogeneity, and increased resistance to pressure loads without the drawbacks of welding or casting, such as warping and uneven heat input.

Implementation Method 1

the drum casing (3) is shaped by a rolling process from an annular workpiece blank (12)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRolling:

Implementation Method 2

The rolling process improves the mechanotechnological properties of the rope drum casing. Structural defects such as a coarse or oriented structure that is, for example, characteristic in tube drawing or also shrinkage cavities that are present in the cast blanks in a manufacturing induced manner can be eliminated by the rolling out.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11365099B2Rope drum and method for the production thereof

Publication Date: 2022.06.21 LIEBHERR COMPONENTS BIBERACH GMBH

AI summary

The present invention relates to rope drums for winding and unwinding ropes, having a drum shell, to which end disks are fastened at the end faces, and to rope winches having such rope drums. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a rope drum. According to the invention, the drum shell is seamlessly rolled from an annular workpiece blank by means of a rope groove profile embossed in a non-cutting manner.