Telescoping Mast Cable Drive Mechanism for Environmental Resilience
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Telescoping masts face issues with environmental hazards such as contamination and ice deposits, which can prevent retraction and damage sealing mechanisms, particularly in pneumatic and hydraulic systems, and are also heavy and expensive to maintain in chain drive systems.
Innovation Solution
An extensible payload system with nested mast sections, a cable, and a pull block assembly, utilizing a cable routing system with a redundancy cylinder for safety and a defrost system to address environmental hazards, and a manual or electric winch for deployment, allowing for easy manufacturing and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pneumatic drive systems are used for telescoping mast, then the mast can be elevated and retracted, but contaminants or ice deposits may prevent retraction and destroy sealing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the airtight seal between telescoping mast sections entirely, eliminating the sealing mechanism that would otherwise be destroyed by contaminants or ice deposits. The system operates without requiring sealed interfaces between sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the pneumatic drive system with a cable-based mechanical system. A cable is wound around a drum that rotates to pay out or retract the cable, thereby extending or retracting the mast sections without requiring sealed pneumatic interfaces.
2Ease of operation
If hydraulic systems are used for elevating telescoping mast, then the mast can be extended, but the system becomes heavy and expensive to maintain and manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hydraulic system with a cable-and-drum mechanical system. The cable is wound around a drum that rotates to extend or retract the mast, eliminating heavy hydraulic pumps, reservoirs, and piping while achieving the same extension function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the hydraulic system components (pump, reservoir, valves, hoses) from the mast assembly, significantly reducing the weight and complexity of the system while maintaining the ability to extend and retract the mast.
3Ease of operation
If chain drive systems are used in telescoping mast, then the mast can be extended and retracted, but the system becomes expensive to maintain and manufacture and is heavy in weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chain drive system with a cable-wound-on-drum mechanism. The cable is simpler to manufacture and install than a chain assembly, and the drum rotation provides the same extension/retraction function without requiring chain links, pins, or lubrication systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the chain drive components (chain links, sprockets, lubrication systems) from the mast assembly, reducing manufacturing complexity, material costs, and ongoing maintenance requirements while preserving the extension and retraction capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An extensible payload system including mounting equipment and a mast system removably coupled to the mounting equipment. The mast system includes a plurality of nested mast sections, at least one cable, and a pull block assembly. The plurality of nested mast sections include a first mast section and a second mast section nested within the first mast section. At least one cable is rollably coupled to the first mast section. The pull block assembly is coupled to an end of the second mast section. The pull block assembly has a cable receiving opening. The cable is routed into the cable receiving opening and is coupled to the pull block assembly.