Three-Boom Lifting Device with Adjustable Lengths and Rotating Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lifting devices, such as cranes, are limited in their ability to move heavy loads over long distances and pivot through large angular ranges due to fixed boom lengths and limited pivotability.
Innovation Solution
A lifting device with three booms of adjustable length, where the first end sections are articulatedly connected to each other and the second end sections are mounted articulatedly and rotatably in separate bearings, allowing for individual movement and rotation of each boom. This configuration creates a tetrahedral shape that enhances stability and mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional fixed-length booms are used in lifting devices, then the structure is simple, but the load-carrying capacity and outreach remain limited
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting device divides the boom structure into three separate booms with adjustable lengths, where each boom can be independently extended or retracted. This segmentation allows the system to achieve higher load-carrying capacity and greater outreach by distributing the load across multiple booms while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The booms are designed with adjustable lengths that can be dynamically changed during operation. Each boom can be extended or retracted to optimize the lifting configuration for different load requirements, enabling the device to adapt its load-carrying capacity and outreach distance without requiring a completely different structural design
2Ease of operation
If booms are constrained to pivot within a limited angular range (0° to 90°), then the structure remains stable, but the mobility and pivotability are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a second rotational degree of freedom by mounting the second end sections of the booms in bearings that allow rotation about an axis perpendicular to the boom's longitudinal axis. This enables the booms to pivot not only in the traditional vertical plane but also in the horizontal plane, achieving full 360° azimuthal rotation while maintaining structural stability through the constrained bearing design
3Strength
If multiple booms are combined to increase load-carrying capacity, then heavier loads can be lifted, but the outreach and pivotability remain substantially unchangeable
Solution Approach 1:
Each of the three booms is equipped with adjustable length capability, allowing them to be dynamically extended or retracted based on the lifting requirements. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to optimize both the load-carrying capacity and the outreach distance simultaneously, as the booms can be lengthened to increase reach while maintaining the load distribution across multiple booms
Solution Approach 2:
The use of three separate booms with individual adjustable lengths allows independent optimization of each boom's contribution to the lifting operation. This segmentation enables the system to achieve greater outreach by extending specific booms while maintaining high load-carrying capacity through the distributed load across all three booms, and simultaneously improves pivotability through the added rotational freedom at each boom's bearing
4Stability of the object's composition
If the first end sections of all booms are connected articulatedly with one another, then the lifting device achieves high stability through tetrahedral configuration, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first end sections of all three booms are connected to a common coupling means, merging the booms into a unified tetrahedral structure. This merging creates inherent structural stability through the triangular configuration, where the interconnected booms support each other and distribute loads evenly, while the coupling means provides a centralized connection point that simplifies the overall structure compared to multiple separate connection points
Data Source
AI summary
A lifting device (1, 14, 18, 28, 31, 36, 46, 50) has three booms (2, 19) of adjustable length, which in each case have a first end section (4, 20) and a second end section (5, 21) opposite the first end section (4, 20). While the first end sections (4, 20) of all booms (2, 19) are articulatedly connected to one another, the second end sections (5, 21) are articulatedly and rotatably mounted in respective bearings (7, 24, 29). The bearings (7, 24, 29) are thereby arranged at fixed positions relative to one another. Furthermore, in each boom (2, 19) at least the first end section (4, 20) can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the boom (2, 19) with respect to the second end section (5, 21). In particular, the booms (2, 19) always form a tripod, which is characterized by a high stability. The lifting device (1, 14, 18, 28, 31, 36, 46, 50) is therefore suitable for lifting very heavy loads, wherein greater ranges can be achieved compared to known lifting devices. In addition, the lifting device (1, 14, 18, 28, 31, 36, 46, 50) can be pivoted further than known lifting devices.