DE202020101054U1 - Lift gripper and wakeboard lift - Google Patents

Abstract

Elevator gripper (1) for receiving and transporting a ball rope of a wakeboard system with a ball channel (10) for receiving and transporting a ball of the ball rope, the ball channel (10) moving the elevator gripper (1) from an input end (2) to an output end (3 ) penetrates in a channel direction (K); - a rope channel (20) for receiving and transporting a rope section of the ball rope, the rope channel (20) continuously in the form of a slot in a wall (11) of the ball channel from the entrance end (2) to the exit end (3) (10) is formed; and a fastening arm (30) which extends essentially from a gripper end (31) to a gripper clamp section (32), the fastening arm (30) being fastened at its gripper end (31) to a gripper body (13) of the elevator gripper (1) and the gripper clamp section (32) is designed for fastening the elevator gripper (1) to a gripper clamp (40); the cable channel (20) being designed such that in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the channel direction (K) a channel alignment line (KL) through a ball channel center point (11) and a cable channel center point (21) is aligned parallel to the gripper clamp section (32) of the fastening arm (30) Gripper clamp alignment line (GL) cuts at an angle of about 10 ° to about 50 °.

Description

The invention relates to an elevator gripper for receiving and transporting a ball rope of a wakeboard system and a wakeboard elevator for receiving and transporting a ball cable of a wakeboard system in an elevator gripper.

In a wakeboard system, a water sportsman holding a barbell can be pulled over the water on a wakeboard, similar to water skiing. The dumbbell, which the water sports enthusiast holds on to when wakeboarding, is attached to a towline, which can be attached to a drive rope using a ball rope. The drive rope runs around several pylons, which are arranged in a polygon like masts in a lake or basin. For example, four to six pylons can be arranged in a square to hexagon along the lake or basin. When wakeboarding, the water sports enthusiast follows the driven drive rope along the polygon over the water surface of the lake or basin.

Usually at least one of the pylons is designed and provided for the entry and / or exit of the water sports enthusiast into the polygonal wakeboard track. A so-called wakeboard lift can be arranged on this pylon. The wakeboard lift can perform at least two functions: On the one hand, the wakeboard lift serves to transport a ball rope with attached tow line and barbell from a bank position to a magazine on the pylon. It is attached to the drive cable from the magazine so that the ball cable is pulled along the wakeboard track. The wakeboard lift thus serves as an entry point for the water sports enthusiast into the wakeboard track of the wakeboard system.

On the other hand, the wakeboard lift also serves to return a ball rope with attached tow line and barbell from the polyon back to the shore position. Using the wakeboard lift, a ball rope can be transported from the end of the wakeboard track back to the shore after passing through the wakeboard track. Thus, after passing through the wakeboard track, the ball ropes are decoupled from the drive rope and held in a catch fork such that a ball arranged on the end of the ball rope with a rope section attached to it protrudes from the catch fork. This protruding end ball is picked up by a so-called elevator gripper of the wakeboard lift and the safety fork is stolen. The ball rope is transported by the elevator gripper along the wakeboard lift from the pylon on the pylon side to a bank position.

From this bank position, the ball rope can be transported in the elevator gripper back to the pylons in the magazine. A plurality of ball ropes can be stored temporarily in this magazine. Upon actuation of the start, one of the ball ropes is removed from the magazine and coupled to the drive rope, whereupon the ball rope together with the tow line and barbell attached, as well as a water sportsman who may be holding onto it, can be taken along.

A wakeboard lift usually has at least three rotating double wheels around which a double elevator rope rotates. A gripper clamp is first attached to this double elevator rope, on which in turn the elevator gripper is arranged. As described, this elevator gripper serves to pick up and transport a ball rope, in particular an end ball of the ball rope.

An exemplary embodiment of an elevator gripper known from the prior art is shown in FIGS 1A and 1B shown. The shows 1A an elevator gripper 1 in a perspective view while 1B the elevator gripper 1 shows in a side view.

The well-known elevator gripper 1 first has a gripper clamp 40 on which an upper rope attachment section 41 and a lower rope attachment section 42 having. These two rope attachment sections 41 and 42 are attached to the two elevator ropes of the wakeboard lift. The two elevator ropes run endlessly around the double wheels of the wakeboard elevator and at a substantially constant, predetermined distance from one another, which is approximately the distance between the two rope fastening sections 41 and 42 corresponds. This double rope construction of the elevator rope enables the alignment of the gripper clamp 40 and thus the elevator gripper attached to it 1 fixed.

The gripper clamp 40 also has a spacer 43 by means of which the two rope fastening sections 41 and 42 are rigidly connected. At the gripper clamp 40 , more precisely on the spacer 43 , is a mounting arm 30th attached to which in turn a gripper body 13 of the elevator gripper 1 is arranged.

The gripper body 13 is completely by a ball channel 10th permeated. This ball channel 10th penetrates the gripper body 13 from an input end 2nd to an exit end 3rd in a channel direction K . The channel direction K is in 1A indicated by a dashed line.

In operation, an end ball of the ball rope can be supported by two spread fork arms 22 of the elevator gripper and into the entrance end 2nd of the ball channel 10th be introduced. A rope section attached to this ball is inserted into a rope channel 20th introduced and / or threaded.

As in 1B shown is the ball channel 10th slotted on one side and forms the cable channel there 20th from which the gripper body 13 just like the ball channel 10th completely penetrated.

The elevator gripper is in operation 1 used to pick up a ball rope from the catch fork of the wakeboard system. After uncoupling from the drive rope of the wakeboard system, a ball rope is regularly held in the catch fork in such a way that the ball of the ball rope arranged at the end protrudes from the catch fork on the rope. Ball ropes are usually made of solid metal ropes and have at least the end ball, so that due to the rigidity of the metal rope, the end ball of the ball rope can be kept spaced from the catch fork. The pull-out gripper 1 guided by the double elevator rope past the safety fork, the end ball becomes the elevator gripper 1 added. This is done between the fork arms 22 of the elevator gripper 1 first the metal rope as a rope section of the ball rope into the rope channel 20th threaded and the end ball of the ball rope into the input end 2nd of the ball channel 10th introduced.

The ball channel 10th is basically dimensioned so that the end ball of the ball rope completely through the ball channel 10th can be passed through. However, is at the end of the exit 3rd of the ball channel is usually arranged a spring element, which the output of the ball channel 10th blocked at first. Because of the blocked exit, the ball and therefore the ball rope and the attached towing line and barbell are removed from the elevator gripper 1 taken and transported from the catch fork to the bank position. From there, the ball rope can be inside the ball channel 10th continued and led back to the pylons in the magazine. In this magazine, the ball rope is held in such a way that pressure and / or tension on the end ball of the ball rope arises which is large enough to pull the ball against the spring force from the exit end 3rd of the ball channel 10th to tear out.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved elevator gripper for a wakeboard lift and / or a wakeboard system, in which in particular the ball rope can be picked up by the catch fork and / or the ball rope can be transferred to the magazine with increased process reliability.

This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

One aspect relates to an elevator gripper for receiving and transporting a ball cable of a wakeboard system with a ball channel for receiving and transporting a ball of the ball cable, the ball channel penetrating the elevator gripper from an input end to an output end in a channel direction. Furthermore, the elevator gripper has a cable channel for receiving and transporting a cable section of the ball cable, the cable channel being formed in a slot-like manner in a wall of the ball channel from the input end to the output end. A fastening arm extends essentially from a gripper end to a gripper clamp section, the fastening arm being fastened at its gripper end to a gripper body of the elevator gripper and the gripper clamp section being designed for fastening the elevator gripper to a gripper clamp. The cable channel is designed so that in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the channel direction, a channel alignment line through a ball channel center point and a cable channel center point of a gripper clamp alignment line intersect at an angle of approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 ° parallel to the gripper clamp section of the fastening arm.

The elevator gripper is designed and intended to be attached in an operating position to the elevator ropes of a wakeboard elevator in order to pick up a ball rope there and to transport it along the wakeboard elevator. For this purpose, the elevator gripper has the gripper body with its wall, in which both the ball channel and the cable channel are formed. The ball channel is essentially rectilinear along the channel direction and completely penetrates the main body of the elevator gripper from the input end to the output end. The ball channel can be essentially tubular, at least one step being formed in the interior of the tube in order to prevent and / or make it more difficult for the ball cable to slide out against the channel direction.

The term “ball” of the ball rope does not necessarily have to refer to a completely rotationally symmetrical ball. Rather, the ball channel can also be designed to receive and transport another thickening of the ball rope arranged at the end, for example a slightly elliptical thickening. Usually, however, ball ropes are used in wakeboard systems Have essentially rotationally symmetrical ball as a thickening at the end.

The wall can almost completely surround the ball channel in all directions perpendicular to the channel direction like a kind of cylinder jacket and only the e.g. Leave the slot-shaped cable duct free. A cable section of the ball cable can be arranged and / or transported in the cable channel when transporting a ball cable. The rope section can be formed directly adjacent to a ball arranged at the end, which can be received and transported in the ball channel. The ball channel is e.g. only open at its input end, its output end and along the cable duct. The ball channel can be closed in all other directions, that is to say surrounded by the wall and / or the gripper body.

The elevator gripper is designed to be attached to the elevator ropes of the wakeboard lift via a gripper clamp. The gripper clamp can either be already attached to the elevator gripper and thus be designed as part of the elevator gripper, or the elevator gripper is designed without gripper clamps. Then it is designed to be attached to the gripper clamp in the operating position.

The gripper clamps of a wakeboard lift can be designed in exactly the same way or similarly as those at the beginning with reference to the 1A and 1B described gripper clamp. The gripper body of the elevator gripper is fastened to the gripper clamp by means of the fastening arm. The fastening arm can be made, for example, of metal and have one or more bores in order to be fastened and / or fastened to the gripper clamp and / or to the base body of the elevator gripper. The fastening arm has at least the gripper clamp section and the gripper end. The gripper clamp section is essentially flat and is mounted in the operating position lying flat against the gripper clamps, in particular against the spacer of the gripper clamp.

The spacer is aligned parallel to the (shortest) distance direction of the two revolving elevator ropes and follows the elevator ropes along the wakeboard lift. The two elevator cables run around the revolving wheels of the wakeboard lift at a substantially constant distance from one another. The essentially constant distance between the two revolving elevator ropes defines the orientation of the gripper clamp at the respective position along the wakeboard lift, in particular the orientation of the spacer of the gripper clamp.

The orientation of the elevator gripper attached to the gripper clamp is thus also defined by the distance direction of the revolving elevator ropes. The exact orientation of the elevator gripper, i.e. the orientation of its ball channel and cable channel relative to the revolving elevator ropes in turn depends on the fastening arm by means of which the gripper body is fastened to the gripper clamp. The orientation of the gripper clamp section essentially corresponds to the distance direction of the revolving elevator ropes in the operating state. The orientation of the gripper clamp section and thus the gripper clamp alignment line describes the surface of the gripper clamp section which is attached to the spacer in a flat manner and is oriented approximately parallel to the distance direction of the revolving elevator cables. In other words, the gripper clamp alignment line in the operating position corresponds approximately to the distance direction of the revolving elevator ropes at the current position of the orbit of the wakeboard elevator.

Also in the case of the known elevator gripper described at the outset, which in 1B is the gripper clamp section 32 of the fastening arm and parallel to the spacer 43 arranged. This applies in particular to the in 1B shown side view against the channel direction K . The channel direction runs essentially through the center of the ball channel, ie through the respective center points of the ball channel.

Viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the channel direction, for example in the in 1B direction of view shown (whereby in 1B no cross-section, just a view against the channel direction K is shown) the channel alignment line is defined by the fact that it runs both through the ball channel center and through the side channel center. In other words, the channel alignment line points from the ball channel center to the cable channel center. Viewed in a cross-sectional plane to the channel direction, this is comparable to the direction in which the cable channel points from the center of the ball channel. In 1B shows the rope channel 20th approximately vertically downwards, that is, on a clock face approximately to the "6 o'clock" position.

The orientation of the cable duct, which is described by the duct alignment line, is defined in the elevator gripper according to the invention by its angular rotation relative to the gripper clamp alignment line with which it intersects. The gripper clamp alignment line corresponds to the orientation of the gripper clamp section, which is aligned parallel to the spacer of the gripper clamp and in the operating position at the same time approximately parallel to the distance direction of the elevator ropes of the wakeboard lift.

In the in 1B The side view of the prior art elevator gripper shown is the gripper clamp alignment line approximately parallel to the connecting line from the upper cable attachment section 41 to the lower rope fastening section 42 arranged. As in 1B shown are the channel alignment line there KL and the gripper clamp alignment line GL approximately parallel to one another, for example essentially congruent. Accordingly, when a ball rope is transported in the known elevator gripper, the rope section of the ball rope (and thus the attached towing line with barbell) protrudes from the end ball of the ball rope in the distance direction of the elevator ropes.

In the elevator gripper according to the invention, however, the cable duct is arranged rotated relative to this previously known orientation. The cable duct is not arranged there exactly in the distance direction of the elevator cables on the ball duct, but twisted by approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 ° to it, that is, for example, analogously to that in FIG 1B shown position, for example at a "7 o'clock" position or an "8 o'clock" position ". This corresponds (in comparison to the previously known elevator gripper) to an arrangement of the cable channel rotated about the channel direction.

Due to this twisted arrangement of the cable duct relative to the ball duct, the loose end of the ball cable, i.e. the end to which the tow line and the barbell are attached, does not protrude out of the ball duct in the direction of the distance between the elevator cables, but is twisted at an angle to this distance direction. The ball rope is thus picked up by the catch fork in this twisted orientation, transported along the wakeboard lift and finally handed over to the magazine.

It is noteworthy that wakeboard lifts are usually used to take ball ropes from a water position in the lake or basin out of the catch fork, to transport them to a shore position, and then back to a water position in the lake or basin on the magazine. The bank position in the Earth's reference system is regularly arranged below the water position (s). As with a normal elevator, the ball ropes on the wakeboard lift also experience a certain lift and / or a certain lowering. For this purpose, the revolving wheels of the elevator are aligned in such a way that they do not rotate about an approximately vertically aligned axis, but rather about a somewhat inclined axis of rotation. The axes of rotation of the revolving wheels of the wakeboard lift can be tilted from approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 ° to the vertical.

The elevator ropes thus run around the inclined gears of the wakeboard lift during operation. Accordingly, the distance direction of the two elevator ropes and thus the gripper clamp alignment line usually does not point in a vertical direction, but exactly like the inclined axes of rotation of the planetary gears in a direction tilted at an angle to the vertical.

Strictly speaking, the gripper clamp and the known elevator gripper never take that in operation 1B shown orientation in a vertical direction, but it is tilted in operation aligned to this. This means that the rope section adjoining the ball of the ball rope cannot hang vertically downward in the known elevator gripper, but rather protrudes somewhat obliquely from the rope channel, which is not arranged exactly below the ball channel during operation.

Problems can thus arise with the known elevator gripper both when the ball rope is transferred from the elevator gripper to the magazine and when the ball rope is received from the catch fork. Due to the inclined position of the revolving wheels of the elevator, the underside of the elevator gripper and thus the exit of the cable duct, as well as the fork arms, is slightly inclined 22 which, for example, in 1A are shown. Because of this relative inclination, the known elevator gripper must maintain a certain distance from the usually horizontally oriented top of the catching fork when picking up the ball ropes from the catching fork.

By tilting and / or inclining the cable duct according to the invention by approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 °, this inclination of the underside of the elevator gripper and relative to the top of the safety fork can be reduced. The tilting of the cable duct can, for example, be aligned and / or dimensioned such that the cable duct is arranged substantially directly between the center of the ball duct and the catching fork when driving over the safety fork and thus when the ball cable is received. in the direct connection line between the ball channel center and the catch fork.

In this case, the underside of the elevator gripper can be aligned essentially parallel to the top of the safety fork, so that the elevator gripper can be guided closer to the top of the safety fork than in the case of the known elevator gripper. This simplifies picking up the end-side ball of the ball rope protruding from the catch fork and thus threading the ball rope into the cable channel and the ball channel. As a result, the inclusion of the ball rope in the elevator gripper can be simplified and the process reliability can be increased.

The same applies to the transfer of the ball rope into the magazine. Due to the tilted arrangement of the cable channel, the ball cable can be brought closer to the magazine holder, so that the ball cable can also be delivered to the magazine of the wakeboard system more safely and easily.

The center of the spherical channel can mean the center of the spherical channel which is essentially round in the cross-sectional plane under consideration. If the cross-sectional plane is placed through a non-circular spherical channel, e.g. in the case of an at least sectionally non-circular design of the ball channel and / or on a channel step, the center of gravity center in the respective cross-sectional plane can be meant by the center of the ball channel. The center of the cable channel can also be defined as the center of gravity. In general, the channel alignment line indicates the direction in which the cable section, which adjoins the received end ball of the ball cable, is led out of the ball channel itself and which points to the other end of the ball cable and thus ultimately to the barbell. The channel alignment line can be oriented approximately perpendicular to an underside of the elevator gripper.

Any plane between the inlet end and the outlet end of the ball channel can be considered as the cross-sectional plane. The angular position described can apply to a single cross-sectional plane, or else to a plurality of cross-sectional planes perpendicular to the channel direction. The described inclination and angular position preferably apply to each individual cross-sectional plane oriented perpendicular to the channel direction from the input end to the output end of the ball channel and thus continuously for the entire ball channel.

The angular rotation of the gripper clamp alignment line to the channel alignment line is, as described, about 10 ° to about 50 °. The cutting angle is preferably from approximately 10 ° to approximately 40 °, particularly preferably from approximately 15 ° to approximately 25 °. In practice, a cutting angle of approximately 20 ° can be ideal. The exact and most sensible angular position can, however, depend on the exact inclination of the rotating wheels of the wakeboard lift, e.g. correspond approximately to the inclination of the axes of rotation of the rotating wheels of the wakeboard elevator.

One aspect, which can also be embodied as an embodiment of the first aspect, relates to an elevator gripper for receiving and transporting a ball rope of a wakeboard system with a ball channel for receiving and transporting a ball of the ball rope, the ball channel of the elevator gripper from an input end to an output end in penetrates a channel direction. A cable duct is designed for receiving and transporting a cable section of the ball cable, the cable duct being formed slot-like in a wall of the ball duct continuously from the input end to the output end. A gripper clamp with two rope fastening sections spaced apart from one another is designed to fasten the gripper clamp to two elevator ropes of a wakeboard lift that are spaced apart from one another in a defined manner. The two cable fastening sections are arranged such that in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the channel direction, a connecting line through the two cable fastening sections intersects the channel alignment line through a ball channel center and a cable channel center at an angle of approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 °. According to this aspect, the elevator gripper is preferably designed as an embodiment of the elevator gripper according to the previously described aspect. For this reason, the statements made regarding the elevator gripper according to the preceding aspect can also apply to the elevator gripper with gripper clamp and vice versa.

Here, the gripper clamp section of the fastening arm can be fastened to the gripper clamp in such a way that in the cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the channel direction, a connecting line through the two cable fastening sections intersects the channel alignment line at an angle of approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 °. The line of connection through the two cable attachment sections may be oriented approximately parallel to the gripper clamp alignment line considered previously. In this embodiment or in this aspect, the elevator gripper thus also includes the gripper clamp, which e.g. is attached to the gripper body by means of the fastening arm.

In a further development of this elevator gripper, the ball channel is designed such that the center of the ball channel is arranged in the cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the channel direction at a distance from the connecting line through the two cable fastening sections and this distance is at least about 2 mm. In this embodiment, not only is the orientation of the cable duct rotated with respect to the previously known orientation of the cable duct, but the entire ball channel is offset with respect to the previously known one, for example in FIG 1B known position shown. By moving the ball channel, the ball channel can be brought closer to a magazine receptacle when it passes the magazine, so that the delivery of the ball cable can be improved and carried out more safely.

According to one embodiment, the cable duct is in an assembled operating position precisely on the shortest connecting line from the center of the ball duct to a safety fork Wakeboard system is arranged when the elevator gripper picks up a ball rope from the suspension fork. In other words, the orientation of the cable duct is matched to the point of the orbit of the elevator gripper at which the elevator gripper takes a ball rope from the catching fork and transports it away from there. This can be achieved, for example, by an appropriately angled design of the fastening arm. In the known elevator grippers, the cable channel is arranged at an angle to the vertical due to the inclined position of the rotating wheels of the wakeboard elevator, that is, not directly between the center of the ball channel and the catch fork. This makes it difficult to take up the ball rope, especially in strong wind and / or flow conditions, in which the ball rope or the end ball of the ball rope does not project vertically upwards from the catch fork, but at an angle to it. Since the cable duct is typically formed on an underside of the elevator gripper, in the embodiment according to the invention the underside of the elevator gripper can be guided closer to the catch fork than in previously known models in which the underside is arranged obliquely to the top of the catch yarn.

According to one embodiment, at least the gripper body of the elevator gripper is made of aluminum. In particular, the gripper body can be formed from a so-called aircraft aluminum, which has high stability. An aluminum elevator gripper has the advantage over a plastic elevator gripper that it can withstand a higher load, in particular breaks less frequently and therefore has a longer life cycle. Compared to an elevator gripper made of steel, the one made of aluminum is lighter. Since the elevator gripper is attached to the elevator ropes of a wakeboard lift during operation, it is part of a vibrating system. Therefore, a higher weight can lead to stronger vibrations, especially in strong wind conditions. The weight saving of the elevator gripper through the use of aluminum is therefore advantageous in order to avoid and / or reduce strong or harmful vibrations on the wakeboard lift.

According to one embodiment, the gripper body is formed in one piece, including fork arms formed at the input end. Here, the gripper body can in particular be designed as a milled molded component, preferably made of aluminum. The gripper body in this case comprises at least the wall of the ball channel and is shaped such that it encloses and thus defines both the ball channel and the cable channel. At the input end of the ball channel, fork arms are formed on the gripper body, which support and / or simplify the threading of a rope section adjoining the end ball of the ball rope into the rope channel. The gripper body can have further features, for example at least one retention stage in the interior of the ball channel, notches for weight reduction, arm fastening bores and / or a spring fastening point. The one-piece design of the gripper body as a milled molded component, for example, simplifies production and can reduce assembly times.

According to one embodiment, a leaf spring protruding into the ball channel is attached to the outlet end of the cable channel, by means of which a exit force required for the exit of a ball from the ball channel is defined. The leaf spring protrudes into the ball channel so that the ball cannot slip out of the outlet end of the ball channel without resistance. However, when the ball rope is transferred from the elevator gripper to the magazine, the ball received in the ball channel can still be pulled out of the pull-out end, namely by applying a predefinable exit force. A tensile force from the magazine onto the ball cable can be effected in such a way that the end ball of the ball cable located in the ball channel is pulled out of the output end of the ball channel against the spring force.

In a further development of this embodiment, the leaf spring is fastened to the exit end by means of a fastening plate. The fastening plate has at least one elongated hole for screwing the fastening plate to the gripper body. Furthermore, the elongated hole is approximately elongated in the direction in which the leaf spring protrudes into the ball channel. This configuration allows the mounting plate to be moved in the direction of the elongated hole. This means that the mounting plate can be moved on the leaf spring in such a way that the leaf spring is either biased more or less strongly against the ball exiting the ball channel. The fastening plate can preferably be screwed to the gripper body by inserting screws through the at least one elongated hole. The fastening plate preferably has a plurality of elongated holes, e.g. two or three elongated holes aligned parallel to each other. In this way, the spring force can be defined and / or adjusted with which the leaf spring holds back the ball inside the ball channel.

According to one embodiment, at least two arm mounting holes facing away from one another with respect to the ball channel are formed in the gripper body as right-hand and left-hand arm mounting holes, to which the same mounting arm can be screwed to the gripper body with its gripper end either on the right or left side of the ball channel. The arm mounting holes allow the mounting arm to either the left or right side of the Screw the ball channel onto the gripper body. As a result, the same components can either be used to provide an elevator gripper for a wakeboard lift, which rotates clockwise around the rotating wheels of the wakeboard lift, or which rotates the rotating wheels counterclockwise. This means that the same components can be used for left and right rotating wakeboard lifts. Here, the bores enable, for example, a formerly left-turning wakeboard lift to be converted into a right-turning wakeboard lift using the same components of the elevator gripper.

According to one embodiment, at least one retaining step is formed in the ball channel to prevent a ball of the ball cable arranged in the ball channel from slipping out against the channel direction. The retention stage can be formed in one piece in the gripper body. The retention stage can prevent the ball held in the ball channel from slipping out of the ball channel during transport.

According to one embodiment, at least one notch is formed in the outer circumference of the gripper body. This notch can save both material and weight. As already described above, the reduction in weight in a vibrating system such as a wakeboard lift is particularly advantageous in order to reduce damage in the event of wind.

One aspect relates to a wakeboard lift of a wakeboard system with at least two elevator double wheels, around which two elevator ropes, which are spaced apart from one another, to which at least one gripper clamp is fastened by means of two rope fastening sections which are spaced apart from one another in such a way that the gripper clamp on the elevator ropes rotates around the at least two elevator double wheels. At least one elevator gripper is attached to the at least one gripper clamp according to the aspect described above in such a way that the gripper clamp section of the elevator gripper is aligned parallel to the distance direction of the rope fastening sections and / or a connecting line through the two rope fastening sections, the channel alignment line at an angle of approximately 10 ° to approximately Cuts 50 °.

The wakeboard lift can have at least three such double elevator wheels, which define the distance and / or elevator path along which the at least one elevator gripper is transported. The wakeboard system preferably has a plurality of gripper clamps and a plurality of elevator grippers, which run one behind the other along the elevator ropes and on the elevator ropes. The elevator double wheels are designed as the orbital wheels of the wakeboard lift, which can have a rotation axis tilted to the vertical.

One aspect can also relate to a wakeboard system with a wakeboard lift according to the preceding aspect.

• - Befestigen eines Befestigungsarms, welcher sich im Wesentlichen von einem Greiferende zu einem Greiferklemmenabschnitt erstreckt, an seinem Greiferende an einem Greiferkörper des Aufzugsgreifers und an seinem Greiferklemmenabschnitt an einer Greiferklemme;
• - Aufnehmen und Transport einer Kugel des Kugelseils in einen Kugelkanal des Aufzugsgreifers, wobei der Kugelkanal den Aufzugsgreifer von einem Eingangsende zu einem Ausgangsende in eine Kanalrichtung durchdringt;
• - Aufnehmen und Transport eines Seilabschnitts des Kugelseils in einen Seilkanal des Aufzugsgreifers, wobei der Seilkanal durchgehend vom Eingangsende zum Ausgangsende schlitzförmig in einer Wandung des Kugelkanals ausgebildet ist, und
• - Anordnen des Seilkanals derart, dass in einer Querschnittsebene senkrecht zu Kanalrichtung eine Kanalausrichtungslinie durch einen Kugelkanalmittelpunkt und eine Seilkanalmittelpunkt eine parallel zum Greiferklemmenabschnitt des Befestigungsarms ausgerichtete Greiferklemmenausrichtungslinie unter einem Winkel von etwa 10° bis etwa 50° schneidet.

One aspect relates to a method for picking up and transporting a ball rope of a wakeboard system in an elevator gripper with the steps:

• - Attaching a fastening arm, which extends essentially from a gripper end to a gripper clamp section, at its gripper end to a gripper body of the elevator gripper and at its gripper clamp section to a gripper clamp;
• - Picking up and transporting a ball of the ball cable into a ball channel of the elevator gripper, the ball channel penetrating the elevator gripper from an input end to an output end in a channel direction;
• - Picking up and transporting a rope section of the ball rope into a rope channel of the elevator gripper, the rope channel being formed slot-like in a wall of the ball channel continuously from the entrance end to the exit end, and
• - Arranging the cable duct in such a way that in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the duct direction, a duct alignment line through a ball channel center point and a cable duct center point intersects a gripper clamp alignment line aligned parallel to the gripper clamp section of the fastening arm at an angle of approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 °.

The method can in particular be carried out with an elevator gripper and / or a wakeboard lift according to the aspects of the invention described above. For this reason, all explanations regarding the elevator gripper and the wakeboard lift also refer to the method and vice versa.

In the context of this invention, the terms “essentially” and / or “approximately” can be used such that they contain a deviation of up to 5% from a numerical value following the term, and a deviation of up to 5 ° from one to the other Term following direction and / or from an angle following the term.

Terms like above, below, above, below, lateral, etc. refer - unless otherwise specified - on the reference system of the earth in an operating position of the object of the invention.

• 1A eine perspektivische Ansicht eines vorbekannten Aufzugsgreifers;
• 1B eine Ansicht des vorbekannten Aufzugsgreifers entgegen einer Kanalrichtung;
• 2A eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform eines Aufzugsgreifers;
• 2B eine Ansicht der Ausführungsform des Aufzugsgreifers in Kanalrichtung;
• 3A eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Greiferkörpers des in den 2A und 2B gezeigten Aufzugsgreifers; und
• 3B eine Schnittansicht durch den Greiferkörper entlang der Kanalrichtung.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. The same or similar reference numerals can identify the same or similar features of the embodiments. Individual features shown in the figures can be implemented in other exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• 1A a perspective view of a known elevator gripper;
• 1B a view of the known elevator gripper against a channel direction;
• 2A a perspective view of an embodiment of an elevator gripper;
• 2 B a view of the embodiment of the elevator gripper in the channel direction;
• 3A a perspective view of a gripper body in the 2A and 2 B shown elevator gripper; and
• 3B a sectional view through the gripper body along the channel direction.

1A shows a perspective view of a known elevator gripper 1 , what a 1B in a view against the channel direction K is shown. This well-known elevator gripper 1 is known from the prior art and described above in the introduction to the description.

In the following 2A to 3B An embodiment according to the invention is shown, which has the same reference numerals as the previously known elevator gripper 1 is described. the same reference numerals are mentioned, which have similar or identical features of the elevator gripper according to the invention 1 mark.

2A shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an elevator gripper 1 . Like the previous one, in the 1A and 1B shown elevator grabs 1 , this embodiment is also on a gripper clamp 40 attached. The elevator gripper 1 has a mounting arm for this 30th which over a gripper clamp section 32 at the gripper clamp 40 is attached. The screws used for this are in the in 2A shown perspective view omitted.

The elevator gripper 1 essentially hangs below the gripper clamp 40 on the elevator ropes of the wakeboard lift and has a gripper body 13 on which as a base and / or a base body of the elevator gripper 1 is trained. The gripper body 13 surrounds the ball channel 10th tubular and also forms the rope channel 20th out. The gripper body 13 is essentially tubular, tubular and / or cylindrical in shape and encloses the approximately hollow cylindrical ball channel 10th which the gripper body from an input end 2nd to the end of the exit 3rd completely penetrated. The ball channel 10th runs in the channel direction K which in 2A is indicated by a dashed arrow. The channel direction K can be arranged in the operating position approximately parallel to the direction of extension of the elevator ropes and in this case point approximately against the direction of rotation of the elevator ropes of the wakeboard elevator.

The elevator gripper shown 1 is designed and intended for this purpose, a ball of a ball cable arranged at the end inside the ball channel 10th record and transport, and at the same time an adjacent rope section of the ball rope in the rope channel 20th record and transport. A towline with a barbell can be attached to this rope section.

The gripper body points to this 13 also two fork arms 22 on both sides of the rope channel 20th as fork arms 22 are formed, similar to the prongs of a fork. The fork arms are opposite the channel direction K spread out so that between them the rope section of a ball rope in between the fork arms 22 narrowing rope channel 20th can be threaded. Tips of the fork arms point roughly opposite the channel direction K from the center of gravity and / or center of the gripper body 13 path. The cable channel points along and adjacent to the ball channel (s) 20 20th about a constant width.

The mounting arm 30th is in the channel direction K viewed laterally on the gripper body 13 attached. To do this, the mounting arm points 30th the gripper clamp section 32 which is essentially flat and / or plate-shaped and in the operating position lies flat against a spacer 43 the gripper clamp 40 is attached. At the opposite end the mounting arm points 30th the gripper end 31 on which he is on the gripper body 13 is attached, in particular screwed. The gripper end 31 is angled to the remaining part of the fastening arm, in particular angled to the gripper clamp section 32 .

2 B shows the elevator gripper 1 in a view in the channel direction K . The channel direction K denotes the direction along which the end ball of the ball rope through the ball channel 10th is passed through.

As in 2 B shown, the gripper clamp 40 two spaced apart Rope attachment sections 41 and 42 on. An upper rope attachment section 41 is designed and intended to be connected to an upper elevator rope during the lower rope attachment section 42 is designed and intended to be connected to a lower elevator rope.

Since the two elevator ropes, which in 2 B are not shown, the peripheral wheels of the wakeboard lift circulate at a distance from one another, are also the two cable fastening sections 41 and 42 spaced apart. You will find the spacer 43 kept at a predetermined distance, which essentially corresponds to the predetermined distance of the two elevator cables.

If the two elevator ropes are arranged exactly vertically one above the other, the result is in 2 B shown arrangement of the elevator gripper 1 , in which the two rope fastening sections 41 and 42 are arranged substantially vertically one above the other. In this view shows a connecting line VL the immediate and / or shortest connecting line between the two rope attachment sections 41 and 42 at. The connecting line VL is parallel to a gripper clamp alignment line GL arranged, which through the center and / or center axis of the gripper clamp section 32 runs. The gripper clamp alignment line GL corresponds to the erection of the gripper clamp section 32 , which is attached to the spacer 43 is mounted. That is why the gripper clamp section 32 essentially parallel and / or adjacent to the alignment of the spacer 43 assembled. In the in 2 B The situation shown is both the gripper clamp alignment line GL as well as the connecting line VL aligned approximately vertically.

Since a wakeboard lift travels a height difference during operation, the revolving rollers, which are also referred to as double revolving rollers or double elevator wheels, do not usually rotate about a vertically erected axis of rotation. Their axes of rotation are usually arranged tilted to the vertical, for example angled by approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 ° to the vertical. As a result of this inclination of the revolving wheels of the wakeboard lift, the two elevator ropes are also not arranged exactly vertically one above the other, but their direction of distance is also inclined to the vertical.

As for example in 2 B shown is the mounting arm 30th formed so angled that in the 2 B shown suspension of the cable duct 20th not vertically below the ball channel 10th is arranged, but angled to the vertical. In the in 2 B The vertical suspension shown is the cable duct 20th counterclockwise twisted to the vertical. This twisted or oblique arrangement can be described by the channel alignment line KL , what a 2 B is also shown in dashed lines. The channel alignment line KL is through the center of the ball channel 11 and the cable channel center located in the same cross-sectional plane 21 arranged progressively. Thus, the channel alignment line marks KL the position of the cable duct 20th viewed from the center of the ball channel 11 out.

The channel alignment line KL can for different cross-sectional planes along the channel direction K be defined. The channel alignment line KL forms at the in 2A and 2 B Embodiment shown an intersection angle α with the connecting line VL and also with the gripper clamp alignment line running parallel to it GL . This cutting angle α is in the elevator gripper 1 from about 10 ° to about 50 °, preferably from about 10 ° to about 40 °, particularly preferably from about 15 ° to about 25 °. In one embodiment, an angle α of approximately 20 ° has proven to be particularly advantageous.

If you compare this arrangement with the previously known elevator gripper 1 , as in, for example 1B is shown, it is noticeable that in the known elevator gripper 1 both the ball channel center 11 as well as the center of the cable channel 21 essentially on the connecting line VL are arranged. This is the case with the known elevator gripper 1 the channel alignment line KL (not in 1B shown) both approximately parallel to the connecting line VL as well as parallel to the gripper clamp alignment line GL aligned. However, this also means that if the orbital wheels of the wakeboard lift are inclined, the cable channel also 20th no longer points vertically downwards, but in an obliquely angled direction.

In contrast to this, as in 2 B shown, angled design approach, an inclination of the planetary wheels are largely or completely compensated. So with a bevelled connection line VL and thus also gripper clamp alignment line GL the channel alignment line KL be oriented substantially vertically. Then, the cable section of the ball cable adjoining the end-side ball can move essentially vertically downward out of the ball channel 10th hang out. This is particularly advantageous when the ball rope is picked up and transported, for a safe pick-up and a safe delivery of the ball rope from the catch fork or to the magazine of the wakeboard system.

Here, an underside can be in an operating position 17th of the elevator gripper 1 essentially be arranged horizontally. Furthermore, and / or alternatively, the approximately flat underside 17th of the elevator gripper 1 be arranged in an operating position essentially parallel to an upper side of a catch fork of the wakeboard system when a ball cable is transferred from the catch fork to the elevator gripper. This roughly parallel alignment enables the bottom 17th of the elevator gripper 1 pass close to the top of the catch fork, causing the rope section to be threaded into the rope channel 20th between the fork arms 22 is simplified.

The rope channel 20th can be in the middle of the bottom 17th be arranged and / or approximately vertically through the bottom 17th be designed to push through (cf. 2 B) .

The one in the 2A and 2 B shown elevator grabs 1 still has a mounting plate 51 on which is adjacent to the exit end 3rd to the gripper body 13 is screwed. With the mounting plate 51 is the in 2 B leaf spring shown 50 so tight on the gripper body 13 kept that leaf spring 50 at the exit end 3rd in the ball channel 10th protrudes. The leaf spring is blocked there 50 slipping or falling out of the ball channel 10th recorded ball until a sufficient pull is exerted on the ball and / or the adjoining rope section that the ball the leaf spring 50 can deflect and from the exit end 3rd of the ball channel 10th can be moved out.

In the mounting plate 51 Elongated holes can be arranged, by means of which the exact position of the mounting plate 51 is so displaceable and definable that the spring tension of the leaf spring 50 can be adjusted.

As in 2 B shown is with the elevator gripper 1 the center of the ball channel 11 spaced from the connecting line VL arranged. Here is the center of the ball channel 11 offset by at least about 2 mm to an inner side, that is to say to the side around which the elevator cables run around a center of rotation. The offset is from the mounting arm 30th away and also from the side of the gripper clamp 40 directed away.

The angular design of the mounting arm 30th thus not only causes the channel alignment line to twist KL , but also an offset of the ball channel center 11 to the inside of the train. This allows the ball channel 10th and the rope channel 20th are guided closer to a collecting element of the magazine, so that the ball rope is easier to remove from the elevator gripper 1 can be handed over to the magazine of the wakeboard system. The center of the ball channel is preferred 11 spaced at least about 2 mm from the connecting line VL arranged, preferably at least by about 4 mm. The offset is preferably directed towards a center of rotation around which the wakeboard lift rotates. Depending on the direction of rotation of the wakeboard lift, this can be offset to the right or left in the channel direction K be considered.

3A shows a perspective view of the gripper body 13 the in the 2A and 2 B shown elevator gripper 1 . The gripper body 13 can be formed in one piece, in particular as a milled molded component. The gripper body 13 can be made entirely of aluminum to be particularly light and stable.

The gripper body 13 points adjacent to the entrance end 2nd the two fork arms 22 on. At the exit end 3rd points the gripper body 13 a spring attachment point 18th on which is both a recess for the leaf spring 50 (see. 2 B) as well as several holes for attaching the mounting plate 51 (see. 2A) having. By fastening the leaf spring 50 with the mounting plate 51 it is possible to adjust the spring force on the one hand, and on the other hand to simply replace the leaf spring 50 with wear.

The gripper body 13 has a wall 12th on which is the ball channel 10th almost completely encloses. The rope channel is an exception 20th , which in the embodiment shown is the only opening in the wall 11 provides at which the ball channel 10th radial to the channel direction K is open.

As in 3A shown, the base body 13 on both sides of the ball channel 10th one arm mounting hole each 16 on. Of these two arm mounting holes 16 is in 3A shown only that which is visible in the perspective shown. Analogous to this, there is also a second arm mounting hole on the opposite side 16 arranged. The arm mounting hole 16 is used to attach the gripper end 31 of the mounting arm 30th on the desired side of the gripper body 13 (see also 2A and 2 B) .

3B shows a sectional view through the gripper body 13 along the ball channel direction K . Here is at the bottom 17th of the gripper body 13 no cut through a material, since the sectional view is centered through the cable duct 20th is laid. At the top is the cut through the wall 12th of the gripper body 13 indicated by hatching.

At a point on the outside diameter, in particular on an upper side of the gripper body 13 , the gripper body has 13 a notch 15 on which also in 3A is shown. At the notch 15 is the material of the gripper body 13 removed, in particular milled away, so the total weight of the elevator gripper 1 to reduce.

Near the bottom 17th is on both sides of the cable duct 20th a retention level 14 trained which towards the entrance end 2nd rises flatly, and towards the exit end 3rd towards a sharp step. This shape allows an end ball of the ball rope to be easily inserted over the gently rising side of the retaining step 14 all the way to the end of the exit 3rd . There is the ball over the retention level 14 secured against inadvertent slipping out against the channel direction K .

By the elevator gripper in the embodiment shown 1 trained alignment of the cable duct 20th relative to the center of the ball channel 11 becomes a transport position of the ball rope on the elevator gripper 1 improved, in particular an improved entry position of the ball rope and thus the towline into the magazine. Furthermore, a catch position of the elevator gripper 1 improved, namely the catch position above the catch fork of the wakeboard system. The elevator gripper 1 can be used flexibly, both for right and left wakeboard lifts. Furthermore, an adjustability between the catch fork and a roller bar of the wakeboard system can be improved.

Thus, the elevator gripper enables 1 an improved and fail-safe operation of a wakeboard system.

Reference list

1

Elevator grapple

2nd

Input end

3rd

Exit end

10th

Ball channel

11

Ball channel center

12th

Wall

13

Gripper body

14

Retention level

15

notch

16

Arm mounting holes

17th

bottom

18th

Spring attachment point

20th

Rope channel

21

Rope channel center

22

Fork arm

30th

Mounting arm

31

Gripper end

32

Claw clamp section

40

Claw clamp

41

upper rope fastening section

42

lower rope attachment section

43

Spacers

50

Leaf spring

51

Mounting plate

GL

Claw clamp alignment line

K

Channel direction

KL

Channel alignment line

VL

Connecting line

Claims (12)

Elevator gripper (1) for receiving and transporting a ball rope of a wakeboard system with - a ball channel (10) for receiving and transporting a ball of the ball rope, the ball channel (10) moving the elevator gripper (1) from an input end (2) to an output end (3 ) penetrates in a channel direction (K); - a cable channel (20) for receiving and transporting a cable section of the ball cable, the cable channel (20) being formed continuously in a slot in a wall (11) of the ball channel (10) from the input end (2) to the output end (3); and - a fastening arm (30) which essentially extends from a gripper end (31) to a gripper clamp section (32), the fastening arm (30) being fastened at its gripper end (31) to a gripper body (13) of the elevator gripper (1) and the gripper clamp section (32) is designed for fastening the elevator gripper (1) to a gripper clamp (40); the cable channel (20) being designed such that in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the channel direction (K) a channel alignment line (KL) through a ball channel center (11) and a cable channel center (21) is aligned parallel to the gripper clamp section (32) of the fastening arm (30) Gripper clamp alignment line (GL) cuts at an angle of approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 °. Elevator gripper (1) for picking up and transporting a ball rope of a wakeboard system, in particular according to Claim 1 , with: - a ball channel (10) for receiving and transporting a ball of the ball cable, the ball channel (10) penetrating the elevator gripper (1) from an input end (2) to an output end (3) in a channel direction (K); - A cable channel (20) for receiving and transporting a cable section of the ball cable, the cable channel (20) being formed continuously in the form of a slot in a wall (11) of the ball channel (10) from the input end (2) to the output end (3); and - a gripper clamp (40) with two cable fastening sections (41, 42) spaced apart from one another for fastening the gripper clamp (40) to two elevator ropes of a wakeboard lift which are spaced apart from one another, the two cable fastening sections (41, 42) being arranged such that in one Cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the channel direction (K) a connecting line (VL) through the two cable fastening sections (41, 42) intersects the channel alignment line (KL) through a ball channel center (11) and a cable channel center (21) at an angle of approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 ° . Elevator gripper after Claim 2 , wherein the ball channel (10) is designed such that the ball channel center (11) is arranged in the cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the channel direction (K) at a distance from the connecting line (VL) through the two cable fastening sections (41, 42), and this distance is at least approximately Is 2 mm. Elevator gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cable duct (20) is arranged in an assembled operating position on the shortest connecting line of the ball channel center (11) to a catch fork of the wakeboard system when the elevator gripper (1) is a ball rope (100) from the catch fork records. Elevator gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least the gripper body (13) of the elevator gripper (1) is made of aluminum. Elevator gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripper body (13) is formed in one piece, including fork arms (22) formed at the input end (2). Elevator gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at the output end (3) of the cable channel (10) a leaf spring (50) protruding into the ball channel (10) is fixed, by means of which an exit force required to emerge from the ball channel (10) is defined . Elevator gripper after Claim 7 , wherein: - the leaf spring (50) is fastened to the outlet end (3) by means of a fastening plate (51), - the fastening plate (51) has at least one elongated hole for screwing the fastening plate (51) to the gripper body (13), and - the elongated hole is aligned approximately in the direction in which the leaf spring (50) protrudes into the ball channel (10). Elevator gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the gripper body (13) two arm fastening bores (16) facing away from one another with respect to the ball channel (10) are formed as right-hand and left-hand arm fastening bores (16), on which the same fastening arm (30) with its gripper end (31) can be screwed to either the right-hand side or the left-hand side of the ball channel (10) on the gripper body (13). Elevator gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a retaining step (14) is formed in the ball channel (10) to prevent a ball of the ball cable arranged in the ball channel (10) from slipping out against the channel direction (K). Elevator gripper according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one notch (15) is formed in the outer circumference of the gripper body (13). Wakeboard lift of a wakeboard system with at least two elevator double wheels, around which two elevator ropes are spaced apart from one another, to which at least one gripper clamp (40) is fastened by means of two rope fastening sections (41, 42) which are spaced apart from one another in such a way that the gripper clamp (40) is attached to the elevator ropes which rotates at least two elevator double wheels; at least one elevator gripper (1) according to one of the preceding claims being fastened to the at least one gripper clamp (40) such that the gripper clamp section (32) of the elevator gripper (1) is aligned parallel to the distance direction of the cable fastening sections (41, 42) and / or a connecting line (VL) through the two cable fastening sections (41, 42) intersects the channel alignment line (KL) at an angle of approximately 10 ° to approximately 50 °.

Images