Trailing Cable Meander Storage for Construction Lifts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional towing cable collection devices for construction elevators result in loosely hanging cables that become twisted and damaged after a few load cycles, leading to reduced service life and increased space requirements.
Innovation Solution
A device using a flat cable with a narrow and wide side, stored in an elongated cable bin with a rectangular cross-section, allowing the cable to be laid down in meanders, reducing twisting and increasing the number of load cycles, while minimizing space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a round cable is used in a conventional cable bin, then the cable can be easily fed through, but the cable becomes twisted and damaged after a few load cycles, reducing service life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of cable geometry from round to flat. This parameter change allows the cable to be laid down in meanders without twisting, significantly extending service life from around 5,000 load cycles to at least 20,000 load cycles while maintaining ease of operation through the cable's flexible flat structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional round cable (one-dimensional circular cross-section) to a flat cable (two-dimensional rectangular cross-section). This dimensional change enables the cable to be arranged in meanders within the cable bin, preventing twisting and improving reliability while maintaining operational ease
2Area of stationary object
If a conventional round cable bin is used, then the structure is simple, but it requires a lot of space on the floor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric design by orienting the flat cable with its narrow side parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cable bin. This asymmetric arrangement allows the cable to be efficiently stored in meanders, reducing the floor space required for the cable bin while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
By transitioning to a flat cable with rectangular cross-section, the invention optimizes space utilization within the cable bin. The cable can be arranged in meanders that efficiently use the cable bin's volume, reducing the overall footprint and floor space requirement compared to conventional round cable bins
3Reliability
If a flat cable is used with narrow side parallel to longitudinal axis, then the cable can be stored in meanders reducing twisting, but the cable bin requires specific elongated dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the cable cross-sectional shape parameter from circular to rectangular, enabling the cable to be laid down in meanders with the narrow side parallel to the longitudinal axis. This parameter change effectively prevents twisting while the cable bin is designed with corresponding elongated dimensions to accommodate this arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The cable bin is pre-designed with specific elongated dimensions and an opening at the upper edge positioned to allow the flat cable to be fed in the correct orientation. This preliminary design ensures that the cable naturally assumes the meander configuration that prevents twisting, eliminating the need for additional anti-twisting mechanisms
Data Source
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Figure 2
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AI summary
In a device for collecting a trailing cable (2), particularly of a construction lift, having cable tray (3) comprising an opening (5), through which (5) the trailing cable (2) can be deposited into or guided out from the cable tray (3), the cable tray (3) has an elongated cross-section (13) and is disposed and configured such that the trailing cable (2) can be deposited in the cable tray (3) in meanders (14).