Tiltable Container Handling Device for Confined Spaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for loading and unloading roll-off containers on road vehicles require significant height and movement freedom, limiting their use in confined spaces and increasing the complexity and cost of the loading process.

Innovation Solution

A road vehicle with a device featuring laterally arranged guide rollers and a container moving device that can be tilted and pivoted, equipped with a gripper mechanism and a bendable frame section, allowing for reduced height and movement requirements during loading and unloading, enabling use in previously inaccessible environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a crane is mounted on the transport vehicle for loading and unloading containers, then the loading capacity is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading capacityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the crane from the transport vehicle entirely, extracting the lifting function and replacing it with a simpler container moving device that utilizes the vehicle's own frame and rollers. This eliminates the complexity and cost of mounting a crane while maintaining loading capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The transport vehicle is designed to load and unload containers using its own integrated device, eliminating the need for external cranes. The vehicle's frame, rollers, and moving device work together as a self-contained system, making the vehicle self-sufficient for container handling operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If a crane is provided at the location for container placement, then the loading capacity is improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading capacityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the need for external cranes at loading locations by extracting the lifting function from the environment and integrating it into the transport vehicle itself. This removes the need for expensive crane infrastructure at container placement locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The transport vehicle performs its own loading and unloading operations without requiring external crane assistance. The integrated container moving device enables the vehicle to handle containers independently, eliminating the need for expensive external lifting equipment at work locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the container moving device is mounted on the frame, then the loading capacity is improved, but the height and movement requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading capacityVSAvoidmaximum height
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The container moving device is designed to be tiltable and pivotable, allowing it to adapt its position and orientation during loading operations. This dynamic capability enables the device to operate in confined spaces with limited height and movement freedom by adjusting its configuration rather than requiring fixed large clearances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The device utilizes tilting and pivoting movements to change the spatial dimensions required for operation. By rotating and tilting the container moving device, the system can perform loading operations in areas with restricted vertical and horizontal clearances, effectively transforming the dimensional requirements through angular movements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Stability of the object's composition

If guide rollers are arranged laterally at the rear end, then the stability during loading is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability during loadingVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rollers are integrated into the existing frame structure at the rear end of the vehicle, combining the guiding function with the structural elements already present. This merging of functions adds stability without requiring separate, complex guiding mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The laterally arranged guide rollers serve multiple functions: they guide the container during loading, support the container weight, and maintain proper alignment. This multi-functionality provides stability while avoiding the need for additional specialized components that would increase device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2993079B1Device for loading and unloading containers
Publication Date: 2020.03.25 WEBER HEINZ
  • EP2993079B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2993079B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP2993079B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a device (1) for loading and unloading containers (21), in particular roll-off containers, onto or from a frame (5) of a road vehicle (2) having at least one axle (4, 4a), as well as to a towed road vehicle. The device (1) comprises a tiltable and/or pivotable container movement device (6) arranged on a frame (5) of the device (1), wherein the container movement device (6) further comprises a gripping element (16) which is configured to grasp a holding element (22) of the container (21) and guide the container (21) during loading and unloading. The gripping element (16) is preferably arranged centrally on the container movement device (6). The device (1) further features that the frame (5) has a section (7) that can be folded downwards about a pivot axis (8).