Telescopic Boom Locking Unit Simplifies Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locking and bolting units for telescoping structures, such as mobile cranes, incorporate intermediate components like gear racks and sliding sets, which increase weight, cost, and complexity, and require additional activation elements, compromising efficiency and safety.
Innovation Solution
A simplified locking and bolting unit with two displaceable safety bolts and a grasper, where the safety bolts and grasper piston rod are positioned vertically in a lower housing section, eliminating intermediate components and using hydraulic/pneumatic control for mechanical activation and locking, reducing the number of parts and enhancing intrinsic safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If intermediate components like gear racks and sliding sets are used to implement bolt position, then the activation mechanism can be simplified, but the number of parts increases, weight increases, and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes intermediate components (gear racks, sliding sets) from the system entirely. The safety bolt is activated directly by the piston rod through a lever mechanism, eliminating the need for these intermediate transmission elements. This extraction principle directly reduces the number of parts while simplifying the activation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the safety bolt activation function and the bolt position indication function into a single integrated mechanism. The piston rod directly activates the safety bolt while simultaneously providing the mechanical input for position detection, merging multiple functions into fewer components.
2Ease of operation
If intermediate components like gear racks and sliding sets are used, then the activation mechanism can be implemented, but the weight of the locking and bolting unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing intermediate components like gear racks and sliding sets, the patent significantly reduces the overall weight of the locking and bolting unit. The direct activation mechanism using the piston rod and lever requires fewer materials while maintaining operational capability.
3Measurement precision
If direct sensor detection of bolt position is used, then measurement is straightforward, but the system is vulnerable to errors if gear racks or sliding sets break
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the vulnerable intermediate components (gear racks, sliding sets) that could break and cause detection errors. By using direct sensor detection on the piston rod position without mechanical transmission elements, the system maintains measurement precision while improving reliability against component failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates redundancy in the detection system by using multiple sensors (e.g., both inductive and magnetic sensors) to detect bolt position. This provides backup detection capability in case one sensor fails, cushioning against detection errors before they can compromise system reliability.
4Strength
If more component parts are used for safety bolt activation, then the mechanism can be more robust, but the construction size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing intermediate components, the patent reduces the construction size of the locking and bolting unit. The direct activation mechanism requires less space than mechanisms incorporating gear racks, sliding sets, and other transmission elements, while the lever mechanism maintains robustness.
Data Source
AI summary
A locking and bolting unit for sections telescoping out of a basic element, in particular sections of a telescoping boom of a mobile crane. The invention involves a locking and bolting unit for sections telescoping out of a basic element, in particular sections of a telescoping boom of a mobile crane, comprising two safety bolts (3) arranged displaceably relative to each other, and an interlocking bolt (5) interacting with a grasper (4). Moreover, the safety bolts (3) and an extension of the grasper (4) constructed as a piston rod (5) are positioned together in a lower housing section vertically displaceable in relation to each other and the piston (6) for the piston rod (5) of the grasper (4) is located in an upper housing part (2) placed on a lower housing part (1).