Traverse System With Nested Lifting Straps For Pipe Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current loading technologies for transport vehicles, such as trucks with tarpaulins, are inefficient and unsafe due to the need for manual alignment of pipes, resulting in noise, risk of falling, and increased crane operations, which are time-consuming and costly, and do not fully utilize the loading capacity.
Innovation Solution
A traverse system with a lifting strap connection below the loading area allows for pipes to be aligned and loaded on the ground, enabling stacks rather than individual layers, optimizing space and reducing crane operations, and featuring a detachable and secure lifting strap system for easy replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pipes are loaded in layers on the loading area using loop straps and manually aligned, then the loading can be performed with standard equipment, but the process is time-consuming, noisy, and poses a high risk of falling for loading staff
Solution Approach 1:
The pipes are pre-aligned on the traverse on the ground before lifting, so that the alignment work is completed in advance and does not require manual intervention during the loading process. This preliminary alignment action eliminates the need for staff to manually adjust pipes at height, improving safety while maintaining efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The traverse acts as an intermediary device that holds and pre-aligns multiple pipes together as a single unit. This mediator allows the pipes to be positioned correctly before lifting, eliminating the need for manual alignment during loading and reducing both safety risks and loading time
2Reliability
If a support beam with lifting gear connection points at the end areas is used, then manual alignment on the loading area is eliminated, but the beam becomes too wide to load trucks with tarpaulin trailers
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting strap connection point is moved from the horizontal plane (end areas of the beam) to the vertical dimension (below the loading area). This dimensional change allows the traverse to be narrow enough for tarpaulin trucks while still providing effective lifting capability, as the strap attaches underneath rather than at the extremes of the beam width
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attaching the lifting strap at the outer ends of the traverse (which would maximize leverage but increase width), the connection point is inverted to be located below and within the width of the pipe layer. This inverted approach maintains lifting effectiveness while reducing the horizontal footprint to fit tarpaulin truck constraints
3Ease of operation
If the lifting strap connection point is at the end areas of the traverse, then the lifting gear can be easily connected, but the traverse protrudes and cannot be used for trucks with limited clear width
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting strap connection is nested within the width of the pipe layer rather than extending beyond it. The connection point is positioned below the loading area and within the horizontal boundaries of the pipes, creating a nested configuration that eliminates protrusion while maintaining accessible connection geometry
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for loading transport vehicles with goods, such as pipes [10], sheets, or profiles, formed from one or more support beams for placing the goods on them and lifting slings attachable thereto for lifting the load-bearing beam [1] and placing it onto a transport vehicle. The longitudinal extent of the beam [1] is less than the loading width of the goods to be placed on the beam [1], and a lifting strap [8] is attached to each end of the beam without any overhang. The lifting strap [8] has a connection point at its other free end for attaching a lifting device. The connection points of the lifting strap [8] at the ends of the beam [1] are located below the support surface for the goods to be placed on the beam [1].