Telescopic C-Gripper Collapsible Vertical Strut Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional C-grippers are rigid, making them difficult to load into conventional containers and increasing damage potential at the corner areas of the vertical strut during transport, especially in applications like offshore wind turbine assembly.
Innovation Solution
A C-gripper design featuring a telescopic vertical strut and a rotatably mounted support strut, locked by a pliable load means, allowing adjustable mouth dimensions and reduced stress on the vertical strut, enabling the gripper to be compacted for transport and minimizing damage potential.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid C-gripper structure is used, then the structural strength is maintained, but the spatial volume cannot be reduced for transport and damage potential increases
Solution Approach 1:
The C-gripper is divided into multiple telescopic segments in the vertical strut, allowing the structure to be segmented into collapsible sections that can be compressed together for transport while maintaining full strength during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The C-gripper transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic telescopic structure that can change its spatial configuration between operational and transport states, enabling volume reduction without compromising structural integrity
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid C-gripper structure is used, then the structural stability is maintained, but the damage potential in corner areas increases during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic design allows the C-gripper to be collapsed into a compact configuration before transport, reducing the protrusion of corner areas and minimizing exposure to harmful impacts during shipping
Solution Approach 2:
The structure dynamically adapts between a stable rigid configuration during lifting operations and a compact reduced-volume configuration during transport, thereby controlling damage potential at critical corner areas
3Weight of moving object
If the vertical strut is made telescopic, then the volume and weight are reduced, but the locking mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible load element (such as a sling or cable) is used as the locking mechanism, replacing complex rigid locking components with a simpler flexible element that can be tensioned to secure the telescopic segments
4Adaptability or versatility
If the support strut is rotatably mounted, then the mouth dimensions are adjustable, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support strut is mounted to rotate relative to the vertical strut, enabling dynamic adjustment of the mouth dimensions to accommodate different load sizes and shapes while maintaining a relatively simple structural configuration
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a C-gripper (1) for arrangement on a crossbeam (11) or on a lifting means and a crossbeam (11) with at least one such C-gripper (1) for transporting lifting goods, wherein the C-gripper (1) is adjustable in its height.