Winch Drum Rope Guide Ridge Line for Layer Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing winch drums face issues with winding ropes neatly when the rope diameter decreases, leading to gaps between layers, which causes irregular winding and noise due to misalignment of rope positions, especially when the rope diameter becomes smaller than ideal dimensions.

Innovation Solution

The winch drum features a unique groove arrangement with parallel and inclined sections on its outer surface and a rope guide part with inclined faces and a ridge line on the flanges, allowing the rope to cross over lower layers effectively even when the diameter is smaller, by adjusting the position of the ridge line relative to the baseline and increasing its divergence as it moves outward.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a conventional rope guide part with a continuous curved surface is used, then the rope can be guided smoothly under ideal conditions, but the rope cannot be positioned correctly when the rope diameter decreases, causing gaps and misalignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverope winding alignmentVSAvoidadaptability to rope diameter variation
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The rope guide part is divided into multiple discrete guide sections (first rope guide part, second rope guide part, etc.) arranged at different positions along the winding drum. Each segment independently guides the rope at a specific location, allowing the rope to be redirected onto the ridge line even when the rope diameter decreases and the gap between the rope and flange increases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ridge line acts as an intermediary element between the rope and the winding drum surface. The multiple rope guide parts direct the rope onto this ridge line, which serves as a reference surface that maintains proper rope positioning and alignment regardless of rope diameter variations, preventing gap formation and misalignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the rope diameter decreases due to wear or load, then the gap between the rope and flange increases, but the rope can still be positioned correctly with the conventional continuous curved surface design

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsistent rope winding qualityVSAvoidrope position alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The rope guide part is divided into multiple discrete guide sections (first rope guide part, second rope guide part, etc.) arranged at different positions along the winding drum. Each segment independently guides the rope at a specific location, allowing the rope to be redirected onto the ridge line even when the rope diameter decreases and the gap between the rope and flange increases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The multiple rope guide parts are positioned in advance along the winding drum to proactively guide the rope onto the ridge line before the rope reaches the winding section. This preliminary guidance ensures that even when the rope diameter has decreased, the rope is already correctly positioned and aligned before entering the winding area, preventing gap formation and maintaining consistent winding quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3722247B1Winch drum and crane provided therewith
Publication Date: 2023.08.16 KOBELCO CONSTR MASCH CO LTD
  • EP3722247B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3722247B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3722247B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An inner face (3S) of a flange (3) of a winch drum (1) is provided with a rope guide part (5) that guides a rope portion (R) in a higher layer such that the rope portion (R) in the higher layer crosses a rope portion (R) in a lower layer in a first crossing section (T1), and a ridge line (50) of the rope guide part (5) has a shape that is displaced in a winding rotation direction (D1) with respect to a baseline (C1) passing through a rotation axis (K) and an inner edge (50E) of the ridge line (50) as proceeding from the inner edge (50E) to an outer edge (50F).