Split Trolley Lift Assembly for Ship Deck Elevators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator platforms on ships face disruptions due to malfunctions in mechanized components, which can hinder operations by failing to reliably raise and lower heavy loads between decks.
Innovation Solution
A lift assembly system utilizing mechanized trolleys with a drive portion and a lift portion, connected via wire ropes and tensioned lines, allowing for redundancy and synchronized movement to ensure continuous operation even if one drive component fails, with multiple hitch points on the platform to distribute loads effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single mechanized trolley is used to raise and lower the platform, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential drive component failure
Solution Approach 1:
The trolley is divided into two separate portions: a drive portion containing the drive mechanism and a lift portion containing the lift mechanism. This segmentation allows the drive portion to be separated from the lift portion, enabling maintenance and replacement of the drive mechanism without affecting the lift mechanism, thereby improving reliability while managing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions between different operational modes: normal dual-trolley operation, and fail-safe mode where the functional trolley's lift portion can operate independently after separation from its drive portion. This dynamic adaptability maintains reliability under varying operational conditions
2Reliability
If multiple trolleys are used to provide redundancy, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and coordination mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
Each trolley is segmented into drive and lift portions that can be independently managed. This segmentation simplifies the coordination mechanism because each portion can be controlled separately, reducing the complexity of managing multiple interconnected components while maintaining redundancy
Solution Approach 2:
A tensioned wire or line acts as an intermediary connection between the lift portions of paired trolleys. This simple intermediary mechanism enables coordinated movement and fail-safe operation without requiring complex control systems, maintaining reliability while minimizing added complexity
3Ease of repair
If the drive portion and lift portion are integrated in a single trolley, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of repair deteriorates when drive component failure occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The trolley is divided into a drive portion and a lift portion that can be separated from each other. This segmentation enables independent access to the drive mechanism for repair and maintenance without disturbing the lift mechanism, significantly improving ease of repair while keeping the overall structure manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The drive portion can be extracted or separated from the lift portion when maintenance is required. This extraction allows the drive mechanism to be serviced, replaced, or inspected independently, improving repairability without requiring complete disassembly of the entire trolley system
Data Source
AI summary
A trolley for a lift assembly is disclosed. The trolley includes a drive portion and a lift portion separable from the drive portion. The lift portion includes one or more fittings configured to hold one or more wire ropes for raising and lower a platform hitched to the wire ropes. The drive portion is connectable to a drive assembly to move the drive portion and lift portion along a lift stroke. Pairs of trolleys are interconnected via tension lines or wires connected to the lift portions of the trolleys. The lift portions are configured to move independent of the drive portions through lift provided via the interconnection of the lift portions through the tension lines or wires.