Winch Assembly Stationary Cable Payoff Point
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable winch assemblies experience undesirable parallel displacement of loads due to a wandering cable run-off point, leading to increased wear on ropes and the need for large lateral angles of attack, which reduces service life.
Innovation Solution
A cable winch arrangement with a spindle drive having a spindle axis coaxially aligned with the drum axis, allowing for a stationary rope payoff point relative to the supporting structure, using helical gears like trapezoidal screw drives to adjust the cable drum position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the cable drum rotates to wind/unwind cable, then the cable is wound onto or unwound from the drum, but the cable run-off point moves along the drum axis causing load displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the cable drum itself movable along the drum axis by introducing a spindle drive mechanism. The cable drum is no longer fixed in position but can dynamically adjust its location to compensate for the run-off point movement, thereby keeping the run-off point stationary relative to the supporting structure while maintaining continuous cable winding capability
Solution Approach 2:
The spindle drive acts as an intermediary mechanism between the supporting structure and the cable drum. It transfers motion from the spindle (rotating about spindle axis) to the cable drum (moving along drum axis), mediating the relationship between rotational cable winding and axial position adjustment to achieve stationary run-off point
2Reliability
If rope pulleys are arranged at large distance from the rope drum, then the lateral angle of attack is limited, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the run-off point movement from the system by making the cable drum position adjustable. By removing the run-off point displacement through axial positioning control, the system no longer requires distant pulley arrangements to limit lateral angle of attack, thus simplifying the overall device structure while preserving rope protection
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the positional parameter of the cable drum along the axial direction to maintain a constant lateral angle of attack. By adjusting the drum's axial position dynamically during winding operations, the system optimizes the rope angle parameter without requiring additional pulleys or complex arrangements
3Manufacturing precision
If a threaded spindle drive is used to displace the cable drum, then the rope pay-off point remains stationary, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the spindle drive mechanism directly with the cable drum by providing the cable drum with a hollow interior that receives the spindle. This integration combines two previously separate components (spindle drive and cable drum) into a unified structure, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining precise pay-off point control
Solution Approach 2:
The spindle is nested within the hollow interior of the cable drum, creating a compact integrated structure. The spindle drive components are housed inside the drum itself, eliminating the need for external mounting structures and reducing the overall complexity of the mechanism
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures minimal rope displacement parallel to the drum axis, reducing wear and allowing for compact design with fewer pulleys, thus extending rope life and improving operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the spindle drive (14) is designed with a helical gear, in particular with a trapezoidal screw drive
Implementation Method 2
the spindle drive connects the supporting structure (20) to the cable drum (2), whereby an adjustment of the spindle drive (14) leads to a relative displacement of the cable drum (2)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A winch arrangement (1) comprising at least one cable drum (2) rotatably mounted about a drum axis (3) for winding and/or unwinding at least one cable (30-37), a support structure (20), and a spindle drive (14) for displacing the cable drum (2) relative to the support structure (20), wherein the spindle drive (14) has a spindle (16) extending along a spindle axis (15), and a cable exit point (6) of the at least one cable (30-37), at which the cable (30-37) runs tangentially onto and/or off the cable drum (2), is at least substantially stationary with respect to the support structure (20), wherein the spindle axis (15) is arranged coaxially with respect to the drum axis (3) of the cable drum (2). (Fig. 1)