CN114988267A

CN114988267A - Motor hoisting tool and using method thereof

Info

Publication number: CN114988267A
Application number: CN202110231506.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈旭; 沈阳
Original assignee: BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd
Current assignee: BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd
Priority date: 2021-03-02
Filing date: 2021-03-02
Publication date: 2022-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2041-03-02
Also published as: CN114988267B

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor hoisting tool and a using method thereof. The motor (10) to be hoisted is provided with a plurality of holes (11) which can be used in the hoisting process, and the motor hoisting tool (100) is provided with the following mechanisms: a gripping mechanism (110) provided with a support frame (111), at least one pair of gripping claws (113) extending vertically downward from the support frame, the gripping claws (113) being configured to be engaged to corresponding holes (11) of the motor (10), the two gripping claws of each pair of gripping claws (113) being movable close to or away from each other so as to grip or release the motor (10), respectively; and a positioning mechanism provided with a positioning frame (121), and a plurality of positioning legs (123) that are mounted to the positioning frame (121) and extend vertically downward from the positioning frame, the positioning legs being configured to be positioned at a plurality of reference positioning points selected on the mounting object, and the positioning frame (121) being vertically movable up and down with respect to the gripping mechanism (110).

Description

Motor hoisting tool and using method thereof

Technical Field

The invention relates to a motor hoisting tool and a using method thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to a lifting tool for gripping and transferring a motor from within a package and placing the motor at a target installation site (e.g., a front axle frame of an electric vehicle) and a method of using the same.

Background

An electric motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Electric motors are widely used as driving devices in many machines or tools (e.g., electric vehicles). The motor may weigh several hundred kilograms. Generally, it is necessary to take out the motors one by one from a packing box in which a plurality of motors are housed and transfer the motors to a target mounting site. Conventionally, it is necessary to individually package motors from inside a packaging box and then transfer and mount the motors to a target mounting position, which is time-consuming and labor-consuming. Furthermore, during the pre-assembly of the electric motor to a predetermined installation site (e.g. the front axle bridge of an electric vehicle), the existing slings and lifting methods do not guarantee the attitude of the electric motor, requiring repeated trials by the operator to correctly orient the engine, which makes the operation time long and is liable to cause damage to the parts. Moreover, the assembly of the motor to the bridge frame of the front axle often needs to be carried out with the positioning precision of millimeter level, and the existing lifting appliance and lifting method cannot guarantee the assembly precision and the operation time.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to overcome at least one of the drawbacks existing in the prior art, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a motor hoist tool, a motor to be hoisted being provided with a plurality of holes that can be used during hoisting, the motor hoist tool being configured to be able to grip the motor and to transfer and rest the gripped motor at a predetermined mounting site of an installation object, characterized in that the motor hoist tool is provided with: a gripping mechanism provided with a support frame, at least one pair of gripping claws extending vertically downward from the support frame, and a first operation lever for operating the gripping claws, the gripping claws being configured to be engaged into corresponding holes of the motor to grip the motor, the two gripping claws of each pair of gripping claws being movable toward and away from each other by operating the first operation lever so as to grip or release the motor, respectively; a positioning mechanism provided with a positioning frame, and a plurality of positioning legs which are mounted to the positioning frame and extend vertically downward from the positioning frame, the plurality of positioning legs being configured to be positioned at a plurality of reference positioning points selected on the mounting object, and the positioning frame being vertically movable up and down with respect to the gripping mechanism. The motor hoisting tool can take out the motors weighing hundreds of kilos from the packing box according to a certain sequence without causing damage even if the operation space is small, and can transfer the motors and place the motors at a target installation position with high precision. The use of the motor hoist tool of the present invention greatly reduces operating time, for example by 65% compared to previous assemblies.

According to a preferred embodiment, the electric motor lifting tool is further provided with a safety mechanism provided with a second operating lever pivotably connected to the first operating lever of the gripping mechanism, the second operating lever being pivotable relative to the first operating lever orthogonally to the operating direction of the first operating lever, a locking lever being snapped on the second operating lever, the locking lever being configured to be insertable into any one of locking holes fixedly connected to the support frame, the first operating lever being inoperable when the locking lever is located in any one of the locking holes. With this safety mechanism, it is possible to prevent the gripping claws of the gripping mechanism from suddenly approaching and damaging the motor in the process of gripping the motor, and to prevent the gripping motor from accidentally falling off in the process of transferring and mounting the motor.

According to a preferred embodiment, the safety mechanism is further provided with a locking pin fixedly connected to the first operating lever, the locking pin being configured to be able to project laterally above the second operating lever with respect to the second operating lever to prevent toggling of the second operating lever and to be able to retract with respect to the second operating lever to allow toggling of the second operating lever. With this locking pin, it is possible to further prevent the second operation lever and the first operation lever from being accidentally operated. The locking pin is preferably a spring pin.

According to a preferred embodiment, the positioning frame is movable along a shaft extending vertically upwards from the support frame of the gripper mechanism between a first position at the uppermost end of the shaft and a second position at the lowermost end of the shaft. When the positioning frame is located at the first position, the positioning support legs retract upwards relative to the clamping mechanism, so that the operation of the clamping motor of the clamping mechanism is not interfered; when the positioning frame is located at the second position, the positioning legs project downward relative to the gripping mechanism, so that the motor lifting tool and the gripped motor can be positioned in advance at a position aligned with the mounting site in the process of resting the gripped motor at the predetermined mounting site.

According to a preferred embodiment, the positioning frame is hooked on a balancer provided at the top end of the shaft, thereby placing the positioning frame and the positioning leg fixedly connected thereto in a weightless state. Therefore, the labor intensity of operating the positioning frame when the motor is clamped and assembled is greatly reduced, and the working efficiency is improved.

According to a preferred embodiment, there is a recess at the top of the motor, and the positioning mechanism is further provided with a positioning pin extending vertically downward from the support frame of the gripping mechanism, the positioning pin projecting vertically downward from the support frame by a distance greater than the distance by which each gripping claw projects vertically downward from the support frame, and the positioning pin is configured to be inserted into the recess of the motor before the gripping claws are engaged in each hole during the gripping of the motor. With the positioning pin, it is possible to help place the gripping claws in substantial alignment with the respective holes of the motor during the clamping of the motor.

According to a preferred embodiment, there are a plurality of protrusions on the top surface of the motor, and the positioning mechanism is further provided with a positioning lug extending vertically downward from the support frame of the gripper mechanism, the positioning lug being shaped to match the shape enveloped by the plurality of protrusions on the top surface of the motor, and the positioning lug being configured to be rested on the top surface of the motor enveloped by the plurality of protrusions. With this positioning lug, it is possible to ensure that the individual gripping claws of the gripping mechanism are at the same height and aligned with corresponding holes on the motor.

According to a preferred embodiment, a plurality of recesses are provided on the bottom surface of the positioning lug, at least some of the plurality of projections being to be inserted into corresponding recesses. With this recess, it can be further ensured that the respective gripping claws of the gripping mechanism are aligned with the corresponding holes on the motor.

According to a preferred embodiment, the first operating lever is substantially L-shaped with a long arm parallel to the supporting frame and operatively connected to each gripping claw by a plurality of linking arms, and a short arm perpendicular to the supporting frame and serving as a handle for direct manipulation by the operator. The first operation rod piece arranged in this way can improve the operation convenience of an operator standing in front of the motor hoisting tool.

According to a preferred embodiment, the second operating lever also has a substantially L-shape with a long arm and a short arm, the second L-shaped operating lever being located inside and above the first L-shaped operating lever at a distance therefrom, the long arm of the second operating lever being snapped with a locking lever, the short arm of the second operating lever serving as a handle for direct manipulation by an operator. The second operation member bar thus arranged can save space and improve the operation convenience of an operator standing in front of the motor hoisting tool.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of gripping a motor using the aforementioned motor lifting tool and transferring and resting the gripped motor at a predetermined mounting site of a mounting object, the method comprising the steps of: moving the motor hoisting tool to a position right above the motor to be clamped; placing the positioning frame at an uppermost position away from the gripping mechanism, and locking the gripping claws of the gripping mechanism in a state of being farthest apart from each other; rotating the first operating lever in an operating direction of the first operating lever in a state where the gripping claws are aligned with the corresponding holes of the motor to cause the two gripping claws of each pair to approach each other until the gripping claws are inserted into the corresponding holes of the motor; moving the motor hoisting tool and the motor clamped by the motor hoisting tool to a position right above a preset installation position of an installation object, and then moving the positioning frame downwards to enable each positioning support leg to be positioned at a reference positioning position selected on the installation object; the gripping mechanism and the motor for gripping thereof are lowered until the motor rests at a predetermined mounting position of the mounting object.

According to a preferred embodiment, the electric motor hoist tool is further provided with a second operation lever pivotably connected to the first operation lever of the gripping mechanism, a locking lever caught on the second operation lever and insertable into any one of the locking holes of the locking plate, and a locking pin capable of projecting laterally above the second operation lever relative to the second operation lever and capable of retracting back relative to the second operation lever, the method further comprising, before rotating the first operation lever, the steps of: withdrawing the locking pin from the second operating link; one end of the second operation lever is pressed downward toward the first operation lever to rotate the other end of the second operation lever, to which the locking lever is caught, upward, thereby releasing the locking lever from the locking hole of the locking plate.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

Drawings

The present invention will now be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale; in addition, components shown in one drawing may be omitted from other drawings for ease of illustration. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating exemplary embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings:

fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a motor 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a motor lift tool 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a partial perspective view mainly showing a part of the motor hoist tool 100 except for the first-stage positioning mechanism 120 and the like;

fig. 4 is a partial perspective view mainly showing the gripping mechanism 110 of the motor hoist tool 100;

fig. 5 is a partial perspective view mainly showing the gripping mechanism 110, the second-stage positioning mechanism, and the third-stage positioning mechanism of the motor hoist tool 100;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view primarily illustrating the first level safety mechanism of the motor hoist tool 100;

fig. 7 is a partial perspective view mainly showing the first-stage safety mechanism and the second-stage safety mechanism of the motor hoist tool 100;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the first stage positioning mechanism 120 of the motor hoist tool 100;

fig. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing that the motor lifting tool 100 of the non-gripping motor 10 is positioned on the body of the electric vehicle by the positioning legs 123 of the first-stage positioning mechanism 120;

fig. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing that the motor hoist tool 100 having the motor 10 gripped therein is positioned on the body of the electric vehicle by the positioning legs 123 of the first-stage positioning mechanism 120 in the process of mounting the motor 10; and

fig. 11 is a perspective view schematically showing that the gripper mechanism 110 of the motor hoist tool 100, which has gripped the motor 10, descends to drop the motor 10 to a predetermined mounting position of the vehicle body in the process of mounting the motor 10.

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the description of the various embodiments is illustrative only and is not intended as any limitation on the techniques of the present invention. It is also to be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide further additional embodiments.

It should be understood that like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views. In the drawings, the dimensions of some of the elements may be modified, exaggerated or reduced for clarity; or some components may be omitted or shown in somewhat schematic form in order to highlight certain components.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in the specification have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.

As used in this specification, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" may include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. The terms "comprising," "including," and "containing" as used in this specification specify the presence of stated features, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features. The term "and/or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

In the description, when an element is referred to as being "on," "attached" to, "connected" to, or "contacting" another element, etc., it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, or contacting the other element or intervening elements may be present.

Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, "left", "right", "upper", "lower", "outer", "inner", and the like are referred to directions in the drawings. It will be understood that spatial relationships such as "left", "right", "upper", "lower", "outer", "inner", and the like are intended to describe the relationship of one feature to another in the drawings. It will be understood that the spatial relationship is intended to encompass different orientations of the motor hoist tool in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.

First, as a hoisting object, a motor 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to fig. 1. The electric motor 10 may be, for example, an electric motor used in an electric vehicle, which may weigh several hundred kilograms. The motor 10 is provided with a number of holes 11, for example four holes 11, which can be used during hoisting. These holes 11 are selected to be of a configuration that allows repeated forces to be applied to the motor 10. Fig. 1 shows only two bores 11 on the right side, and two bores 11 are correspondingly arranged on the left side. In addition, the top surface 12 of the motor 10 is flat, and a plurality of smaller protrusions 13 are provided on the top surface 12. In the example shown in fig. 1, a total of five protrusions 13 are provided on the top surface 12 of the motor 10. A recess 14 is also provided at the top of the motor 10. Some or all of the holes 11, protrusions 13 and grooves 14 are needed during the hoisting of the motor 10. However, it should be noted that the holes 11, the protrusions 13 and the grooves 14 are not necessarily provided for hoisting the motor 10, and they may be provided due to the manufacturing process requirements or other structural or functional requirements of the motor 10. The motor lifting tool 100 according to the present invention is configured to be lifted using some existing structure of the motor 10 as appropriate.

Next, the motor lifting tool 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described. As shown in fig. 2, the entire motor hoist tool 100 is hooked to an unillustrated electric lifter by a hoist chain 101 and a hoist ring 102 to integrally move the motor hoist tool 100 and the motor 10 gripped thereby. The electric lifting device may be, for example, an electric hoist or the like known in the art, and the structure thereof will not be described herein. Functionally, the motor lifting tool 100 roughly includes a gripping mechanism 110 for gripping the motor 10, a positioning mechanism for helping to correctly position the gripping mechanism 110 in the process of gripping the motor and for helping to position the gripped motor 10 at a predetermined mounting position in the process of mounting the motor, and a safety mechanism 130 for preventing the gripping claw 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 from hitting the motor in the process of gripping the motor 10 and for preventing the gripped motor 10 from being accidentally dropped out in the process of transferring and mounting the motor.

The gripper mechanism 110 of the motorized lift tool 100 will now be described with primary reference to fig. 2-5. The gripping mechanism 110 mainly includes a substantially rectangular support frame 111 and at least one pair of gripping claws 113. The gripping claw 113 is substantially L-shaped and can slide along a guide rail 112 extending from two opposite end arms (left and right end arms in fig. 3) of the support frame 111 orthogonally thereto toward the inside of the rectangular support frame by means of a slider 114 associated with the gripping claw 113. The number of gripping claws 113 is equal to the number of holes 11 on the motor 10 used during the hoisting process. In the illustrated embodiment, the gripping mechanism 110 is provided with two pairs, i.e., four gripping claws 113. The two gripping claws 113 of each pair of gripping claws 113 can be moved longitudinally toward or away from each other to grip or release the motor 10, respectively. The lateral distance between one pair of gripping claws 113 and the other pair of gripping claws 113 is fixed and set equal to the distance between the two holes 11 on the left or right side of the motor 10. The gripping mechanism 110 is also provided with a first operating lever 116 (which may also be referred to as a handle) operatively connected to each gripping claw 113 by a number of linkage arms 115. Specifically, the first operating link 116 is generally L-shaped having a long arm and a short arm. The long arm of the first operation link 116 is parallel to the support frame 111 and is operatively connected to each gripping claw 113 by a plurality of interlocking arms 115. The short arm of the first operating link 116 is perpendicular to the support frame 111 and serves as a handle for direct manipulation by the operator. The first operating link 116 thus provided can improve the operational convenience of an operator standing in front of the motor hoist tool 100.

When the operator rotates the short arm of the first operation link 116 in a certain direction (i.e., the first operation direction), the operation force acting on the first operation link 116 is transmitted to the respective gripping claws 113 via the long arm and the linking arms 115, so that the two gripping claws 113 of each pair of gripping claws 113 can slide along the corresponding guide rails 112 close to each other so as to be inserted into the respective holes 11 on the motor 10 to grip the motor 10. Conversely, when the operator rotates the short arm of the first operation lever 116 in the opposite direction (i.e., the second operation direction), the reverse operation force acting on the first operation lever 116 is transmitted to the respective gripping claws 113 via these interlocking arms 115, and the two gripping claws 113 of each pair of gripping claws 113 can slide along the respective guide rails 112 away from each other to withdraw the gripping claws 113 inserted into the respective holes 11 of the motor 10 from the holes 11 to release the motor. During operation of the first operating link 116, the support frame 111 of the motor hoist tool 100 and the guide rail 112 fixedly connected to the support frame 111 are themselves stationary.

Next, a positioning mechanism for helping to correctly position the gripping mechanism 110 in the process of gripping the motor and a positioning mechanism for helping to position the motor 10 for gripping at a predetermined mounting position in the process of mounting the motor will be described. The predetermined mounting position may be, for example, a body of an electric vehicle. Preferably, the positioning mechanism of the motor hoist tool 100 may be a multi-stage positioning mechanism. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the positioning mechanism is a three-stage positioning mechanism, which will be described in detail below.

As the first-stage positioning mechanism 120 (refer to fig. 8, 2), the motor hoist tool 100 includes a positioning frame 121 in the form of a square frame, and a plurality of positioning legs 123 vertically extending downward from the horizontal positioning frame 121, for example, via a plurality of extension arms 122. These positioning legs 123 are to be positioned at predetermined reference points selected on the electric vehicle. In the embodiment shown, the first stage positioning mechanism 120 is provided with three positioning feet 123 arranged at the three vertices of the triangle, since the three feet in the triangle shape provide a good positioning and stabilization of the first stage positioning mechanism 120 and thus the entire motor hoist tool 100 and its gripped motor 10 in place on the vehicle body. For example, two of the three positioning legs 123 are positioning pins to be inserted into two existing fitting holes on a front axle frame of a vehicle body, and the other is a positioning block to ride on a vehicle body frame. However, it should be noted that these conventional mounting holes on the front axle frame of the vehicle body are not provided for the convenience of positioning the motor hoist tool 100 and the clamped motor 10. Rather, they may be assembly holes in the body of the electric vehicle which are provided for other purposes and which are not used temporarily. According to the invention, any appropriate part or structure on the body of the electric vehicle can be selected as a positioning reference. The first stage positioning mechanism may also be referred to as an assembly positioning mechanism.

The positioning frame 121 of the first stage positioning mechanism 120 and the positioning leg 123 fixedly connected thereto are movable up and down along the shaft 117 extending vertically upward from the support frame 111 of the gripper mechanism 110. In particular, the positioning frame 121 is movable between a first position, located uppermost of the shaft 117, and a second position, located lowermost of the shaft 117. When the positioning frame 121 is located at the first position, the extension arm 122 and the positioning leg 123 are retracted upward relative to the gripping mechanism 110 (i.e., substantially above the gripping mechanism 110) so as not to interfere with the operation of the gripping motor 10 of the gripping mechanism 110. When the positioning frame 121 is located at the second position, the extension arm 122 and the positioning leg 123 are extended downward with respect to the gripping mechanism 110 (i.e., located below the gripping mechanism 110) so as to position the motor hoist tool 100 and the gripped motor 10 thereof in advance at a position aligned with a predetermined mounting point in the process of resting the gripped motor 10 at the predetermined mounting point on the electric vehicle body. During the positioning, the operator moves the motor hoist tool 100 and the gripped motor 10 to a position directly above a predetermined mounting position of the vehicle body where the motor 10 is to be mounted, and then moves the positioning frame 121 downward along the shaft 117 in alignment with the mounting hole on the front axle frame of the vehicle body and the vehicle body frame so that each positioning leg 123 falls to the corresponding reference positioning position.

The motor lifting tool 100 can pick up the motors in sequence directly from a container containing a plurality of motors (e.g., four motors). In order to save space, the distance between the motors in the packing case is small, and thus the operation space for gripping the motors is small. In order to prevent the extended extension arm 122 and the positioning leg 123 from damaging other motors in the packing box during the process of gripping a certain motor, the operator needs to keep the positioning frame 121 at the first position. Meanwhile, in the process of assembling the gripped motor 10 to the predetermined mounting position, the operator needs to stably move the positioning frame 121 from the first position toward the second position by hand until each positioning leg 123 falls to the corresponding reference positioning position. The first stage positioning mechanism 120 typically weighs in the order of several kilograms and is therefore tiring to operate. For this reason, it is preferable to put the suspended first-stage positioning mechanism 120 in a weightless state by the balancer. Specifically, one balancer 124 is provided at each of the top ends of the two shafts 117 of the gripping mechanism 110, and the positioning frame 121 is hooked on the two balancers 124. Balancers are well known in the art and their structure will not be described in detail herein. Any type of balancer may be used, such as a pneumatic balancer, a spring balancer, etc. In the case where the weight of the first-stage positioning mechanism 120 is, for example, 5 kg, the parameter of each balancer 124 is set to 2.5 kg. In this way, the entire first-stage positioning mechanism 120 can be in a weightless state, and the positioning frame 121 can be stopped at any position between the first position and the second position of the shaft 117. Therefore, the labor intensity of operating the positioning frame 121 when the motor is gripped and assembled is greatly reduced, and the working efficiency is improved.

Preferably, the motor hoist tool 100 is also provided with a second stage positioning mechanism. As the second-stage positioning mechanism, a positioning pin 125 vertically extending downward from the support frame 111 of the gripping mechanism 110 is provided, as shown in fig. 5. The positioning pins 125 are fixedly connected to the support frame 111 via an intermediate member. The positioning pins 125 protrude vertically downward from the support frame 111 by a distance greater than the distance by which each gripping claw 113 protrudes vertically downward from the support frame 111. The positioning pin 125 is provided to be inserted into the groove 14 at the top of the motor 10. In the process of gripping the motor 10, before the gripping claw 113 contacts each hole 11, the operator first inserts the positioning pins 125, which protrude more downward, into the grooves 14 of the motor 10 in alignment, thereby helping to place the gripping claw 113 in a state of being substantially aligned with each hole 11. The second stage positioning mechanism may also be referred to as a gripping positioning mechanism.

Preferably, the motor hoist tool 100 is also provided with a third stage positioning mechanism. As the third-stage positioning mechanism, there is provided a positioning boss 126 vertically extending downward from the support frame 111, as shown in fig. 5. The positioning lugs 126 are fixedly connected to the support frame 111 via intermediate members. The positioning projection 126 projects vertically downward from the support frame 111 by a distance smaller than the distance by which each gripping claw 113 projects vertically downward from the support frame 111. The bottom surface of the positioning lug 126 is flat, and a plurality of recesses 127 are also provided on the bottom surface of the positioning lug 126. The number of recesses 127 may be equal to the number of protrusions 13 on the top surface 12 of the motor 10, also five. Alternatively, the number of recesses 127 may be smaller than the number of protrusions 13 of the motor 10, i.e. only some of the protrusions 13 are utilized. The recess 127 is provided in a position matching the position of the projection 13 to be received therein. The shape of the positioning tab 126 may match the shape enveloped by the plurality of protrusions 13 on the top surface 12 of the motor 10. The positioning lug 126 is configured to rest on the top surface 12 of the electric motor 10, which is enveloped by the plurality of projections 13, and at least one of the projections 13 is to be inserted into a corresponding recess 127 on the bottom surface of the positioning lug 126. With the positioning projections 126 resting at predetermined positions on the top surface 12 of the motor 10, it can be ensured that the respective gripping claws 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 are at the same height and aligned with the corresponding holes 11 on the motor 10. Then, the first operating lever 116 may be operated to make the two pairs of gripping claws 113 approach each other to project into the hole 11 of the motor 10.

It should be noted that although the motor hoist tool 100 is provided with the above-described three-stage positioning mechanism in the illustrated example, the motor hoist tool 100 may be provided with only some of these positioning mechanisms.

Next, a safety mechanism 130 for preventing the gripping claw 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 from hitting the motor during gripping of the motor 10 and for preventing the gripped motor 10 from being accidentally dropped during transfer and mounting of the motor 10 will be described. In the process of positioning the positioning pin 125 and the positioning projection 126 at the time of gripping the motor 10, there is a risk that the extended gripping claw 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 collides against the motor. Further, at the stage of transfer and installation after the motor lifting tool 100 grips the motor 10, in the case of, for example, fatigue operation by an operator in the middle of the night or a novice worker, there is a risk that the operator erroneously rotates the first operation link 116 to cause the gripping claws 113 to come out of the holes 11 and drop the motor 10. Dropping a motor 10 of several hundred kilograms is very dangerous and can pose a serious hazard to personal and property safety. For this purpose, the motor hoist tool 100 is provided with a safety mechanism 130 for locking the position of the gripping claw 113. Preferably, the safety mechanism 130 of the motor hoist tool 100 may be a multi-stage safety mechanism. For example, in the example shown, secondary safety mechanisms, which are described in detail below.

As the first-stage safety mechanism, as shown in fig. 6, there is provided a second operation lever 131 pivotably connected to the first operation lever 116 of the gripping mechanism 110. The second operating link 131 is also substantially L-shaped with a long arm and a short arm. The second generally L-shaped operating link 131 is spaced from the first generally L-shaped operating link 116 inboard of the first operating link 116 and above the first operating link 116. The second operation lever 131 thus provided can save space and improve the operational convenience of an operator standing in front of the motor hoist 100. The operation is convenient. The second operating link 131 is pivotable relative to the first operating link 116 orthogonally to the operating direction of the first operating link 116 (i.e., the rotational direction of the first operating link 116). The short arm of the second operating lever 131 serves as a handle to be directly manipulated by the operator. A groove 132 is provided on the long arm of the second operation lever 131, and a locking lever 133 is caught in the groove 132. The lock lever 133 is configured to be insertable into any one of two lock holes 135 provided in a lock plate 134, the lock plate 134 being fixedly connected with the support frame 111 of the gripping mechanism 110. Only one locking hole 135 is visible in fig. 4 and 6, and the other locking hole 135 into which the locking lever 133 is being inserted is hidden from view by the first operation lever 116. When the lock lever 133 is positioned in one of the lock holes 135 (as shown in fig. 4), the gripping claws 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 are positioned in a state of being most separated from each other. At this time, the gripping claws 113 that are farthest apart do not hit the motor 10 during the positioning by the positioning pins 125 and the positioning projections 126. When the lock lever 133 is positioned in the other lock hole 135, the gripping claws 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 are positioned in a state of being closest to each other. At this time, the gripping claws 113 closest to each other will grip the motor 10. When the locking lever 133 is located in any of the locking holes 135, the locking lever 133, and the second operation lever 131 and the first operation lever 116 operatively connected thereto, cannot be rotated in the operation direction of the first operation lever 116. If the operator wants to rotate the first operating link 116, it is first necessary to press the short arm of the second operating link 131 downwards towards the first operating link 116. The second operating lever 131 is rotated about the pivot shaft so that the long arm, in which the locking lever 133 is caught, is rotated upward, thereby allowing the locking lever 133 to come out of the locking hole 135. Thus, the lock of the first operation link 116 is released and can be rotated in the operation direction thereof.

Preferably, the motor hoist tool 100 is also provided with a second level safety mechanism. As the second-stage safety mechanism, there is provided, for example, a lock pin 136 fixedly connected to the first operation lever 116 via an intermediate member. The locking pin 136 is located above the second operating lever 131, for example, above the arm of the second operating lever 131 to which the locking lever 133 is snapped. Typically, the locking pin 136 projects transversely relative to the arm. In case the operator wants to pull the second operation lever 131, it is first necessary to withdraw the locking pin 136 from above the arm of the second operation lever 131 so as not to interfere with the pulling of the second operation lever 131. The locking pin 136 may be, for example, a spring pin. At this time, the second operation rod 131 is pulled by pressing the locking pin 136 and then withdrawing. When the pressing of the locking pin 136 is released, the locking pin 136 is restored to the extended state.

It should be noted that although in the illustrated example the motor hoist tool 100 is provided with the above-described secondary safety mechanisms, the motor hoist tool 100 may be provided with only some of these safety mechanisms.

Next, the operation of the motor lifting tool 100 will be described.

First, the operator moves the motor lifting tool 100 to a position just above the motor 10 to be gripped in the packing box by the aforementioned electric lifting device. It should be noted that the motor lifting tool 100 can directly pick up the motors in sequence from the packing box provided with a plurality of motors (for example, four motors) without separately packing the motors from the packing box.

Next, the operator places the positioning frame 121 at the first position, i.e., the uppermost of the shaft 117, and surely locks the gripping claws 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 in a state of being farthest apart from each other. The two steps described above may be performed in reverse order.

Then, in a state where the gripping claws 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 are spaced farthest apart, the operator inserts the positioning pins 125, which protrude more downward than the gripping claws 113, into the grooves 14 in the top of the motor 10 in alignment, and then rests the positioning bosses 126 on the top surface 12 of the motor 10 enveloped by the plurality of protrusions 13, and inserts the protrusions 13 into the corresponding recesses 127 on the bottom surface of the positioning bosses 126.

Next, the operator withdraws the locking pin 136 from above the second operation lever 131, for example, by pressing the locking pin 136; then, in a state where the locking pin 136 is retracted, the operator presses down one end of the second operation lever 131 toward the first operation lever 116, and rotates up the other end of the second operation lever 131, in which the locking lever 133 is caught, thereby causing the locking lever 133 to come out of the locking hole 135 of the locking plate 134; then, the operator integrally rotates the first operation lever 116, the second operation lever 131, the lock lever 133, and the like in the operation direction of the first operation lever, and with the rotation of the first operation lever 116, the two gripping claws of each pair of gripping claws 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 come close to each other until the gripping claws 113 are inserted into the corresponding holes 11 of the motor 10. At this time, the locking lever 133 also reaches above the other locking hole 135, and the operator inserts the locking lever 133 into the locking hole 135 to lock the state in which the motor 10 is gripped by the gripping claws 113.

Next, the operator moves the motor lifting tool 100 and the motor 10 gripped thereby directly above a predetermined mounting position of the vehicle body where the motor 10 is to be mounted, by means of the electric lifting device, and moves the positioning frame 121 downward along the shaft 117 with the respective positioning legs 123 aligned with the mounting holes on the front axle frame of the vehicle body and the vehicle body frame, until the respective positioning legs 123 fall to the corresponding reference positioning positions.

Then, the operator lowers the portion of the motor lifting tool 100 other than the first-stage positioning mechanism 120 and the gripped motor 10 by the electric lifting device until the motor 10 rests at a predetermined mounting location in the vehicle body.

Finally, the operator performs substantially the same operation as the aforementioned operation of the safety mechanism and the first operation lever 116, rotates the first operation lever 116 to make the gripping claws 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 come out of the holes 11 of the motor 10, and locks the gripping claws 113 of the gripping mechanism 110 in a state of being farthest apart from each other; the operator then mounts the motor 10 at the target mounting site in the vehicle body.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. An electric motor hoist tool, an electric motor (10) to be hoisted being provided with a plurality of holes (11) that can be used in a hoisting process, the electric motor hoist tool (100) being configured to be able to clamp the electric motor (10) and to be able to transfer and rest the clamped electric motor (10) to a predetermined mounting site of an installation object, characterized in that the electric motor hoist tool (100) is provided with:

a gripping mechanism (110) provided with a support frame (111), at least one pair of gripping claws (113) extending vertically downward from the support frame (111), and a first operating lever (116) for operating the gripping claws (113), the gripping claws (113) being configured to be engaged into corresponding holes (11) of a motor (10) to grip the motor, two gripping claws (113) of each pair of gripping claws (113) being movable close to or away from each other by operating the first operating lever (116) so as to grip or release the motor (10), respectively;

a positioning mechanism provided with a positioning frame (121), and a plurality of positioning legs (123) which are attached to the positioning frame (121) and vertically extend downward from the positioning frame (121), the plurality of positioning legs (123) being configured to be positioned at a plurality of reference positioning points selected on an attachment subject, and the positioning frame (121) being vertically movable upward and downward with respect to the gripping mechanism (110).

2. The electric motor hoist tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric motor hoist tool (100) is further provided with a safety mechanism (130) provided with a second operating lever (131) pivotably connected to the first operating lever (116) of the gripping mechanism (110), the second operating lever (131) being pivotable relative to the first operating lever (116) orthogonally to the operating direction of the first operating lever (116), a locking lever (133) being snapped on the second operating lever (131), the locking lever (133) being configured to be insertable into any one of locking holes (135) in a locking plate (134) fixedly connected to the support frame (111), the first operating lever (116) being inoperable when the locking lever (133) is located in any one of the locking holes (135).

3. The electric motor hoist according to claim 2, characterized in that the safety mechanism is further provided with a locking pin (136) fixedly connected to the first operating lever (116), the locking pin (136) being configured to be able to project laterally above the second operating lever (131) relative to the second operating lever (136) to block the pulling of the second operating lever (131) and to be able to retract relative to the second operating lever (131) to allow the pulling of the second operating lever (131).

4. The electric motor lifting tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the positioning frame (121) is movable along a shaft (117) extending vertically upwards from the support frame (111) of the gripper mechanism (110) between a first position at an uppermost end of the shaft (117) and a second position at a lowermost end of the shaft (117).

5. The motor hoist according to claim 4, characterized in that the positioning frame (121) is hooked on a balancer (124) provided at the top end of the shaft (117), thereby placing the positioning frame (121) and the positioning foot (123) fixedly connected thereto in a weightless state.

6. The electric motor lifting tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that there is a recess (14) at the top of the electric motor (10), and that the positioning mechanism is further provided with a positioning pin (125) extending vertically downwards from the support frame (111) of the gripping mechanism (110), the positioning pin (125) protruding vertically downwards from the support frame (111) a distance greater than the distance that the respective gripping claw (113) protrudes vertically downwards from the support frame (111), and that the positioning pin (125) is configured to be inserted into the recess (14) of the electric motor (10) before the gripping claw (113) engages in the respective hole (11) during gripping of the electric motor (10).

7. The motor hoist tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that there are a plurality of projections (13) on the top surface (12) of the motor (10) and the positioning mechanism is further provided with a positioning lug (126) extending vertically downward from the support frame (111) of the gripper mechanism (110), the positioning lug (126) being shaped to match the shape enveloped by the plurality of projections (13) on the top surface (12) of the motor (10), and the positioning lug (126) being configured to be rested on the top surface (12) enveloped by the plurality of projections (13) of the motor (10).

8. The electric motor hoist according to claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of recesses (127) are provided on a bottom surface of the positioning lug (126), at least some of the plurality of projections (13) being to be inserted into corresponding recesses (127).

9. A method of gripping a motor (10) using the motor lifting tool (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 1-8 and transferring and resting the gripped motor (10) at a predetermined mounting location of an installation object, the method comprising the steps of:

moving the motor lifting tool (100) to be clamped right above the motor (10);

placing the positioning frame (121) at a position farthest from the gripping mechanism (110), and locking the gripping claws (113) of the gripping mechanism (110) in a state of being separated farthest from each other;

rotating the first operating lever (116) in the operating direction of the first operating lever (116) to bring the two gripping claws of each pair of gripping claws (113) close to each other in a state where the gripping claws (113) are aligned with the corresponding holes (11) of the motor (10) until the gripping claws (113) are inserted into the corresponding holes (11) of the motor (10);

moving the motor hoisting tool (100) and the clamped motor (10) to be right above a preset installation position of the installation object, and then moving the positioning frame (121) downwards so that each positioning support leg (123) is positioned at a reference positioning position selected on the installation object;

the gripping mechanism (110) and the motor (10) for gripping thereof are lowered until the motor (10) rests at a predetermined mounting position of the mounting object.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electric motor hoist tool (100) is further provided with a second operating lever (131) pivotably connected to the first operating lever (116) of the gripper mechanism (110), a locking lever (133) snapped onto the second operating lever (131) and insertable into any one of the locking holes (135) of the locking plate (134), and a locking pin (136) capable of protruding laterally above the second operating lever (131) relative to the second operating lever (136) and capable of retracting relative to the second operating lever (131), the method further comprising, prior to rotating the first operating lever (116), the steps of:

retracting the locking pin (136) from the second operation link (131);

one end of the second operation lever 131 is pressed downward toward the first operation lever 116, and the other end of the second operation lever 131, which is in engagement with the locking lever 133, is rotated upward, whereby the locking lever 133 is disengaged from the locking hole 135 of the locking plate 134.