Hoisting Winch Separate Gear Trains Compact Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hoisting winch arrangements with axially parallel drums face challenges in maintaining compactness, lightweight design, and ease of assembly due to the need for precise alignment and large space requirements for motors and gear systems, especially when trying to achieve synchronous operation with limited power and spatial constraints.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of separate gear trains for each motor, allowing each motor to drive its respective drum independently, with motors positioned between the drums and using integrated drum gears for support, enables a compact and efficient design while maintaining high lifting capacity and synchronous operation through optional cardan shaft or electronic synchronization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single common gearbox is used to drive both drums, then synchronous operation is achieved, but the gearbox becomes too large and heavy to fit within the limited axial spacing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesynchronous operationVSAvoidgearbox weight and size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The common gearbox is divided into two separate gearboxes, each driving one drum independently. This segmentation reduces the size and weight of each individual gearbox while maintaining the ability to achieve synchronous operation through alternative means such as mechanical coupling or electronic control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Length of stationary object

If two separate motors are positioned next to the drums, then the axial spacing is maintained, but the assembly becomes complex requiring precise alignment of multiple components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaxial spacing between drumsVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The motor and gearbox are merged into an integrated drive unit that can be positioned between the drums. This combination reduces the number of separate components requiring alignment and simplifies the assembly process while maintaining compact axial spacing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If motors are positioned next to the drums, then positioning flexibility is reduced, but the assembly requires precise machining of contact surfaces several meters apart

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor positioning flexibilityVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A flexible coupling or cardan shaft is introduced as an intermediary between the motor and the drum, allowing for misalignment compensation. This intermediary component absorbs positioning tolerances and reduces the need for precise machining of contact surfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3317222B1Hoisting winch assembly
Publication Date: 2020.03.25 LIEBHERR COMPONENTS BIBERACH GMBH
  • EP3317222B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3317222B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3317222B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a hoisting winch assembly (1) comprising at least two preferably axially parallel drums (2) which are arranged axially at a distance from one another and can be driven synchronously with one another by two motors (3) via a gearing assembly. The invention also relates to a crane, in particular a portal and/or container crane, comprising a hoisting which assembly (1) of this type. According to the invention, the gearing assembly has at least two separate gear trains (4; 5), such that each motor (3) is drivingly connected to a respective drum via an individual gear train. In this way, in comparison to a common gearing, to which both motors are connected, the separate gear trains can have a significantly lighter and smaller design, given that the accumulated output of both motors no longer needs to be transmitted, rather only the output of one motor. Nevertheless, overall, high hoisting capacities can be produced, given that each motor only needs to drive one drum.