Telescopic Tower Tension Sensor Assembly

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Operators often make procedural mistakes when raising or lowering telescoping towers using a winch, leading to either high tension conditions that can damage equipment or low tension conditions that may damage the tower, due to inadequate tension management.

Innovation Solution

A tension detection system that includes a sensor to monitor cable tension, triggering alerts when tensions exceed high or low thresholds, and a controller to prevent further winch operation until the tension is corrected, using springs and pulleys to calibrate and manipulate the tension sensor arms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If operators manually control the winch to raise or lower telescoping towers, then the operation is simple and direct, but procedural mistakes lead to high or low tension conditions that can damage equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanual winch operationVSAvoidtension control safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a tension sensor that continuously monitors cable tension and provides feedback to the control system. When tension exceeds predefined thresholds (indicating high or low tension conditions), the system automatically generates alerts and can prevent further winch operation, creating a closed-loop control system that compensates for operator errors and maintains safe operating parameters

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If no tension monitoring system is installed, then the device complexity is low, but operator errors cause high tension conditions that can damage the winch and supporting equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetension monitoring systemVSAvoidhigh tension damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a tension sensor and control system that proactively monitors cable tension before damage occurs. By establishing predefined tension thresholds and implementing real-time monitoring, the system detects and alerts operators to high or low tension conditions before they can cause damage to the winch, cable, or telescoping tower structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control system receives continuous feedback from the tension sensor and automatically responds by generating alerts and preventing further winch operation when tension exceeds safe thresholds, creating a protective feedback loop that prevents harmful high tension conditions from developing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If no tension monitoring system is installed, then the device complexity is low, but operator errors cause low tension conditions that can damage the telescoping tower

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetension monitoring systemVSAvoidlow tension damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tension monitoring system proactively detects low tension conditions before they can cause damage to the telescoping tower. By continuously monitoring cable tension and comparing it against predefined thresholds, the system alerts operators to improper cable tensioning or unsafe tower section positioning before structural damage can occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control system receives feedback from the tension sensor and generates alerts when tension falls below safe thresholds, providing real-time information to operators about potentially dangerous low tension conditions that could compromise tower structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Prevents damage by ensuring cable tension remains within safe ranges, alerting operators to adjust tensions and preventing further winch operation until safe conditions are met, thus protecting the telescopic structure and supporting equipment.

Implementation Method 1

The tension sensor may use springs to calibrate the thresholds for the high tension and low tension

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a series of pulleys to manipulate an arm to engage a tension sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical advantage: Mechanical Advantage

Data Source

PatentUS9557233B2Tension sensor assembly

Publication Date: 2017.01.31 US TOWER CORP

AI summary

A tension detector may detect and help correct tension in a lift cable. The cable may include a lift cable within a telescopic structure, such as a telescopic tower. The tension sensor may detect when the cable tension is outside a high tension threshold and a low tension threshold and trigger an alert when outside the thresholds. The alert may be an audible alert or a visual alert. A controller may prevent a user from making the tension worse and encourage an operator to correct the tension problem by preventing a winch from expanding or retracting the telescopic structure. The tension sensor may use springs to calibrate the thresholds for the high tension and low tension and a series of pulleys to manipulate an arm to engage a tension sensor.