Shortening Hook Coupling Layout for Accessible Chain Shortening
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shortening hooks for sling chains in hangers often fail to align optimally, especially when used in two-strand hangers, leading to blocked chain shortening due to the center of gravity alignment and requiring complex positioning for accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A shortening hook design with a coupling connection where the coupling slot and shortening slot are offset laterally, allowing automatic alignment with the chain's tensile direction, ensuring easy suspension and accessibility, even when hooks are mounted 180° apart.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the coupling slot and shortening slot are aligned in a line with the upper eyelet, then the hook structure is compact and simple, but the shortening slot cannot align optimally with the chain direction and accessibility is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensional change by offsetting the shortening slot laterally from the alignment line of the coupling slot and upper eyelet. This lateral displacement in a second dimension allows the shortening slot to achieve optimal alignment with the chain's tensile direction while maintaining a compact overall structure, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and structural simplicity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If two shortening hooks are mounted 180° apart on a suspension ring, then the hanger structure is balanced, but the shortening slots of both hooks are located side by side blocking chain shortening
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing lateral offset of the shortening slot from the vertical alignment, the patent ensures that when two hooks are mounted 180° apart, their shortening slots are positioned at different lateral positions rather than overlapping side by side. This dimensional change allows both hooks to maintain balanced positioning while providing unobstructed access for chain shortening operations.
3Ease of operation
If the shortening slot is made accessible by positioning it away from the center line, then accessibility improves, but the hook requires complex positioning and the center of gravity misalignment causes instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately introduces asymmetry by offsetting the shortening slot laterally from the central alignment line. This asymmetric positioning improves accessibility while the overall symmetric design of the hook body and proper mounting configuration maintain stable center of gravity alignment, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A shortening hook with a coupling connection for shortening sling chains in hangers, having a hook body which comprises an eyelet at the top for coupling to a suspension ring and at the bottom a coupling connection with a coupling slot which is delimited by two parallel side wings and is downwardly open for the suspension of a chain and in its central region comprises a hooking-in region, which realizes an upwardly open, rectilinearly extending shortening slot and on which a chain, which is coupled to the coupling connection, is hookable by way of its free end region. In each case, only a coupling slot and a shortening slot are realized on the hook body and, when the shortening hook is seen in side view, are mounted offset laterally with respect to one another.