LIFTING APPARATUS, LIFTING SET, AND WATER TREATMENT FACILITY

Abstract

A lifting apparatus capable of engaging with and disengaging from a water treatment device which is to be lifted without cumbersome manual operations is provided. The lifting apparatus includes a frame and an engaging portion pivotably attached to the frame by an upper portion thereof in a vertical position. The engaging potion is capable of engaging with an engageable portion of the water treatment device. The engaging portion is configured to be set to a first operation state in which the engaging portion pivots by contacting the engageable portion as the lifting apparatus approaches the water treatment device from above, and then pivots back to the vertical position as the lifting apparatus further approaches the water treatment device to become closer thereto, whereby the engaging portion and the engageable portion become engageable with each other.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a Continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2014/058788, filed on Mar. 27, 2014, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-066060, filed on Mar. 27, 2013, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a lifting apparatus capable of engaging with and disengaging from a water treatment device which is to be lifted, a lifting set, and a water treatment facility.

2. Description of the Related Art

A water treatment device is typically provided with an eyebolt on an upper portion thereof, and disposing the water treatment device in a treatment tank requires a series of operations including engaging a hook of a lifting apparatus with the eyebolt, bringing up and down the lifting apparatus, and then disengaging the hook from the eyebolt.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-255305 discloses a lifting apparatus provided with a reference portion to be a reference for positioning the lifting apparatus within a treatment tank, where the lifting apparatus includes a main body portion capable of moving up and down along with a water treatment device, a coupling portion capable of engaging with and disengaging from a hanging portion of the water treatment device, and a positioning portion for positioning the main body portion to the reference portion so as to align the coupling portion with the hanging portion of the water treatment device.

The purpose of this lifting apparatus is to provide a lifting apparatus that can accurately operate a water treatment device from outside of a water tank when the water treatment device is immersed into the liquid and invisible from outside of the water tank. However, it is still necessary for the above-mentioned lifting apparatus to be manually operated with an operation tool to engage the hanging portion and the coupling portion after the coupling portion reaches a predetermined position of the hanging portion of the water treatment device, and thus it is desirable to provide a lifting apparatus in which a hanging portion and a coupling portion are automatically engage with or disengage from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a lifting apparatus, a lifting set, and a water treatment facility in which cumbersome manual operations are not required to engage/disengage a water treatment device and a hanging tool with/from each other.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first characteristic construction of a lifting apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is that a lifting apparatus capable of engaging with and disengaging from a water treatment device is to be lifted includes a frame, and an engaging portion pivotably attached to the frame by an upper portion thereof in a vertical position, where the engaging potion is capable of engaging with an engageable portion of the water treatment device, and that the engaging portion has a first operation state in which the engaging portion pivots by contacting the engageable portion as the lifting apparatus approaches the water treatment device from above, and then pivots back to the vertical position as the lifting apparatus further approaches the water treatment device to become closer thereto, whereby the engaging portion and the engageable portion become engageable with each other.

In accordance with the construction above, by lowering the lifting apparatus from above toward the water treatment device, the engaging portion of the lifting apparatus which is set on the frame in the first operation state abuts the engageable portion of the water treatment device so as to pivot around a supporting portion of the engaging portion, and when the lifting apparatus is further lowered, the abutment with the engageable portion is released and the engaging portion returns to the vertical position from the pivoting position. The engaging portion automatically engages with the engageable portion by this returning action to the vertical position. Accordingly, cumbersome manual operations for engagement are unnecessary, and the engaging state can be achieved by simply lowering the lifting apparatus toward the water treatment device from above.

A second characteristic construction of the lifting apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is, in addition to the first characteristic construction described above, that the engaging portion has a second operation state in addition to the first operation state, in which the engaging portion disengages from the engageable portion by its own weight or a biased force, when the lifting apparatus further approaches the water treatment device after the water treatment device has been installed into a predetermined position from a lifted state thereof lifted being by the lifting apparatus.

In accordance with the above construction, when the water treatment device is lifted in such a condition that the engaging portion on the frame set in the second operation state is engaged with the engageable portion of the water treatment device, the water treatment device is transported to the predetermined position and lowered thereto so as to be installed, and then the lifting apparatus is further lowered to get closer to the water treatment device, the engaging portion is automatically released from the engageable portion by its own weight or the biased power. Accordingly, cumbersome manual operations for disengagement are unnecessary, and the disengaged state is achieved by simply making the lifting apparatus closer to the water treatment device.

A third characteristic construction of the lifting apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is that the first operation state and the second operation state are switched by changing a position to which the engaging portion is attached to the frame, or by attaching and releasing a biasing member to the engaging portion.

The first operation state and the second operation state can be switched by a changing operation of the position to which the engaging portion is attached and supported, or by an attaching/releasing operation of the biasing member. In other words, the switching operation is easily achieved in accordance with the purpose: whether the water treatment device is to be lifted from a predetermined position, or to be installed in the predetermined position.

A characteristic construction of the lifting set in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is that the lifting set includes the lifting apparatus having one of the first to third characteristic constructions described above, and a water treatment device to be lifted by the lifting apparatus.

A characteristic construction of the water treatment facility in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is that it is provided with a lifting apparatus having any one of the first to third characteristic constructions described above, a water treatment device, and a tank body in which the water treatment device is immersed in liquid to be treated.

A second characteristic construction of the water treatment facility in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is, in addition to the first characteristic construction described above, that the water treatment device is a membrane separation device.

As described above, in accordance with the present invention, it became possible to provide a lifting apparatus, a lifting set, and a water treatment facility which do not require cumbersome manual operations to engage/disengage a water treatment device and a lifting tool with/from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining a lifting apparatus and a water treatment device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lifting apparatus and the water treatment device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a plan view of the lifting apparatus, FIG. 3B is a front view thereof, and FIG. 3C is a side view thereof.

FIGS. 4A through 4D are diagrams explaining a lifting operation of the lifting apparatus in a first operation state.

FIG. 5A through 5C are diagrams explaining a lifting operation of the lifting apparatus in a second operation state

FIGS. 6A through 6C are diagrams explaining a lifting operation of the lifting apparatus in the first operation state in accordance with another embodiment.

FIGS. 7A through 7C are diagrams explaining a lifting operation of the lifting apparatus in the second operation state in accordance with another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the lifting apparatus, the lifting set, and the water treatment facility in accordance with the present invention are explained.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a water treatment facility 1 includes a treatment tank 2 which is a tank body, a water treatment device 3 immersed in water to be treated filled in the treatment tank 2, and a lifting apparatus 4 for lifting the water treatment device 3.

The water treatment device 3 is an immersion-type membrane separation device 3 having a membrane module in which a number of plate-shaped membrane elements are disposed in a casing having upper and lower openings such that respective membrane surfaces are vertically positioned and separated from one another by a predetermined distance provided therebetween, and a diffuser device disposed under the membrane module. The treatment tank 2 includes a plurality of membrane separation devices 3 immersed therein.

A lifting apparatus 4 is also provided in order to lift up and transport the membrane separation device 3 in and out of the treatment tank 2 when a routine maintenance is conducted or a broken membrane element is replaced. It should be noted that, although the present embodiment will be explained in such a case where the water treatment device 3 is an immersion-type membrane separation device 3, the water treatment device 3 to be lifted by the lifting apparatus 4 in accordance with the present invention is not limited to a membrane separation device, and the present invention is applicable to any water treatment device submersed in water, such as a submersible pump.

A pair of guide bars 8 are provided for each of the membrane separation devices 3 and fixed to the bottom of the treatment tank 2 so as to stand upright and position the membrane separation device 3 which is immersed therein by engaging with the guide bars 8 by guided portions 30 thereof provided on respective side walls of the membrane separation device 3. The pair of guide bars 8 are disposed in the vicinity of a pair of diagonal corners of the membrane separation device 3 in plan view. The guided portions 30 are provided on upper portion of side walls facing the respective guide bars 8. Each of the guided portions 30 has a pair of plate-shaped protrusions so as to hold the corresponding guide bar 8 from both sides.

The lifting apparatus 4 is hanging from a lifting equipment 6 such as a hoist crane via a cable body 5 such as a sling belt or chain so as to be freely raised and lowered. The lifting equipment 6 is supported by a rail 7 provided thereabove so as to be movable along the rail 7 in a horizontal direction.

As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, the lifting apparatus 4 includes a frame formed of a pair of side frames 42 made of steel plates, and a center frame 43 connecting the side frames 42. Each of the engaging portions 44 is attached vertically to the side frames 42 with a pivot pin P such that an upper portion thereof is rotatable.

Each of the engaging portions 44 has two elongated plate members lower portions of which are connected via an engaging pin which engages with the engageable portion 32 of the water treatment device 3, while upper portions of which are rockably attached to the side frame 42 with the pivot pin P. The pivot pin P has a screw portion formed at an end thereof so as to be fastened by a nut.

More specifically, each of the side frames 42 has a pair of holes 47 and 48 on each side portion thereof, to which the engaging portion 44 can be attached, as shown in FIG. 3C. The engaging portion 44 is set to the first operation state when it is attached by inserting the pivot pin P into the inner-side hole 48, while it is set to the second operation state when it is attached by inserting the pivot pin P into the outer-side hole 47. In other words, the engaging portion 44 is configured such that the mounting state thereof is changeable between the first operation state and the second operation sate.

In addition, the center frame 43 has an attaching member 46 provided at a center portion thereof, to which the cable body 5 coupling to the lifting equipment 6 is attached. Each of the side frames 42 has a guided portion 40 provided on one side thereof, which engages with a corresponding one of the guide bars 8. The guided portion 40 also has a pair of plate-shaped protrusions so as to hold the guide bar 8 therebetween.

When the membrane separation device 3 immersed in the treatment tank 2 is to be taken out therefrom, the lifting equipment 6 is extended so as to lower and position the lifting apparatus 4 which is set to the first operation state by attaching the engaging portion 44 to the inner-side hole 48 such that the each of the guided portions 40 engages with the corresponding guide bars 8.

When the lifting apparatus 4 is lowered, each of the engaging portions 44 of the lifting apparatus 4 becomes in contact with the respective engageable portion 32 of the membrane separation device 3 from above as shown in FIG. 4A, and when the lifting apparatus 4 is further lowered, each engaging portion 44 rocks outwardly along a slope portion 32a of the corresponding engageable portion 32 as shown in FIG. 4B. That is, each engaging portion 44 pivots around the pivot pin P thereof.

When the lifting apparatus 4 further goes downward as shown in FIG. 4C, each of the engaging portions 44 passes the sloped portion 32a of the engageable portion 32 and pivots around the pivot pin P so as to return to its vertical position, whereby the engaging pin of the engaging portion 44 and the engageable portion 32 become engageable with each other.

When the lifting equipment 6 is wound up so as to raise the lifting apparatus 4 in this engageable state, the membrane separation device 3 is lifted up from the treatment tank 2 as shown in FIG. 4D.

When the membrane separation device 3 is to be disposed in the treatment tank 2 and immersed therein, the engaging portion 44 is first attached to the outer-side whole 47 of the lifting apparatus 4 so as to be set to the second operation state, and then the lifting equipment 6 is wound up so as to raise the lifting apparatus 4 in a state in which the engaging pin of the engaging portion 44 of the lifting apparatus 4 and the engageable portion 32 of the membrane separation device 3 are engaged with each other.

Then, the lifting apparatus 4 is transported to a predetermined location along the rail 7 and positioned such that the guided portions 30 of the membrane separation device 3 engage with the corresponding guide bars 8 standing in the treatment tank 2. The lifting equipment 6 is extended so as to lower the lifting apparatus 4, whereby the membrane separation device 3 is disposed in the treatment tank 2 and immersed therein.

As shown in FIG. 5A, as the lifting apparatus 4 goes down from its lifted state, the engaging pin of the engaging portion 44 of the lifting apparatus 4 and the engageable portion 32 of the membrane separation device 3 are gradually disengaged from each other, and when the lifting apparatus 4 is further lowered, the engaging pin of the engaging portion 44 is released from the engageable portion 32 and rocks outwardly, i.e., the engaging portion 44 pivots around the pivot pin P, thereby returning to its vertical position as shown in FIG. 5B.

When the lifting equipment 6 is wound up in this state so as to raise the lifting apparatus 4 as shown in FIG. 5C, only the lifting apparatus 4 is lifted up.

In other words, when the membrane separation device 3 is disposed to a predetermined position from the lifted state thereof being lifted by the lifting apparatus 4, and then the lifting apparatus 4 is further brought down and to be closer to the membrane separation device 3, the engaging portion 44 is disengaged from the engageable portion 32 by its weight.

Another embodiment is described below. In the embodiment described above, the first operation state is set when the engaging portions 44 are attached to the respective side frames 42 by inserting the pivot pin P into the inner-side hole 48, while the second operation state is set when the engaging portions 44 are attached by inserting the pivot pin P into the outer-side hole 47. However, the first operation state can be set when the engaging portions 44 are attached by inserting the pivot pin P into the outer-side hole 47, while the second operation state can be set when the engaging portion 44 is attached by inserting the pivot pin P into the inner-side hole 48.

For example, for the first operation state, as shown in FIG. 6A, the structure of the craw-like engageable portion 32 described above (see FIG. 4A) and that of the engaging portion 44 having the two elongated flat plates separated from each other by the predetermined distance (see FIG. 4A) can be switched each other, such that a claw-like engaging portion 44 is used for the lifting apparatus 4, and an engageable portion 32 having two elongated flat plates separated from each other by a predetermined distance is attached to the membrane separation device 3.

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the lifting apparatus 4 in which the claw-like engaging portion 44 is vertically fixed to the outer-side hole 47 to be set to the first operation state goes down toward the membrane separation device 3 from above, a tip of the engageable portion 32 provided to the side wall of the membrane separation device 3 and a slope portion 44a of the engaging portion 44 become in contact with each other, whereby the engaging portion 44 rocks inwardly.

When the lifting apparatus 4 further goes down as shown in FIG. 6C, the claw-like engaging portion 44 retunes to its vertical position and engages with the engageable portion 32. When the lifting apparatus 4 is raised in this state, the membrane separation device 3 is lifted up from the treatment tank 2.

On the other hand, the second operation state is set by vertically attaching the claw-like engaging portion 44 to the inner-side hole 48 of the lifting apparatus 4, and similarly to the process shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, the engaging portion 44 and the engageable portion 32 of the membrane separation device 3 are engaged with each other beforehand, and then the lifting apparatus 4 is lowered toward the treatment tank 2 from above so as to install the membrane separation device 3 therein.

When the lifting apparatus 4 goes further down and gets closer to the membrane separation device 3 after its installation, an inner slope at the tip of the claw portion of the engaging portion 44 slides from the engageable portion 32 provided on the side wall of the membrane separation device 3, whereby the engaging portion 44 rocks around the pivot pin P and returns to its vertical position such that the engaging portion 44 automatically disengages from the engageable portion 32. Thus, the lifting apparatus 4 can be raised in this state.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, the engaging portion 44 set to the second operation state is released from the engageable portion 32 by its weight when the lifting apparatus 4 comes closer to the membrane separation device 3. However, the engaging portion 44 set to the second operation state may be released from the engageable portion 32 by a biased force of an elastic member such as a spring when the lifting apparatus 4 is brought closer to the membrane separation device 3 in another embodiment.

FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C illustrate such an embodiment. FIG. 7A shows the first operation state in which each of the engaging portions 44 are attached to the side frames 42 by inserting the pivot pin P into the inner-side hole 48. In addition, an end of an elastic biasing member, such as a coil spring 50, is attached to the outer-side hole 47, while another end of the coil spring 50 is detachably attached to an attaching portion of the elongated plate members of the engaging portion 44. When the lifting apparatus 4 is lowered in this state, the membrane separation device 3 becomes ready to be lifted up in a similar manner as that illustrated in FIGS. 4A through 4D.

FIGS. 7B and 7C illustrate the second operation state. As shown in FIG. 7B, the membrane separation device 3 is lifted up in such a state where the coil spring 5 is attached to the engaging portion 44 while the engaging portion 44 is engaged with the engageable portion 32 of the membrane separation device 3, and then brought to a predetermined position of the treatment tank 2, lowered, and installed therein.

As shown in FIG. 7C, when the lifting apparatus 4 is further lowered to become closer to the membrane separation device 3 in a state in which the engaging portion 44 is biased outwardly around the pivot pin P by the biasing power of the coil spring 50, the engaging portion 44 is automatically disengaged from the engageable portion 32, and when the lifting apparatus 4 is raised in this state, only the lifting apparatus 4 is lifted up. That is, the coil spring 50 functions as a biasing member.

As described above, the lifting apparatus 4 is switchable between the first operation state and the second operation state by changing the attaching position of the engaging portion 44 or by attaching/releasing the biasing member 50.

In such a case where a plurality of membrane separation devices 3, for example, two membrane separation devices 3 are stacked in a vertical direction in the treatment tank 2, they can be lifted up one by one by providing the engageable portions 32 to the frame of each of the membrane separation devices 3.

The lifting set of the present invention includes the above-mentioned lifting apparatus 4 and the membrane separation device 3 to be lifted, and the water treatment facility of the present invention includes the lifting set and a tank body in which the water treatment device is immersed in water to be treated.

Each embodiment mentioned above is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited by the description. A design of the specific structure of each part can be changed so long as the function and effect of the present invention can be achieved.

Claims

1. A lifting apparatus capable of engaging with and disengaging from a water treatment device which is to be lifted, the lifting apparatus comprising: wherein the engaging portion has a first operation state in which the engaging portion pivots by contacting the engageable portion as the lifting apparatus approaches the water treatment device from above, and then pivots back to the vertical position as the lifting apparatus further approaches the water treatment device to become closer thereto, whereby the engaging portion and the engageable portion become engageable with each other.

a frame; and

an engaging portion pivotably attached to the frame by an upper portion thereof in a vertical position, the engaging portion being capable of engaging with an engageable portion of the water treatment device,

2. The lifting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the engaging portion has a second operation state in addition to the first operation state, in which the engaging portion disengages from the engageable portion by a weight thereof or a biased force, when the lifting apparatus further approaches the water treatment device after the water treatment device has been installed into a predetermined position from a lifted state thereof being lifted by the lifting apparatus.

3. The lifting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first operation state and the second operation state are switched by changing a position to which the engaging portion is attached to the frame, or by attaching and releasing a biasing member to the engaging portion.

4. A lifting set comprising:

the lifting apparatus of claim 1; and

the water treatment device to be lifted by the lifting apparatus.

5. The lifting set of claim 4, wherein the engaging portion of the lifting apparatus has a second operation state in addition to the first operation state, in which the engaging portion disengages from the engageable portion by a weight thereof or a biased force, when the lifting apparatus further approaches the water treatment device after the water treatment device has been installed into a predetermined position from a lifted state thereof being lifted by the lifting apparatus.

6. The lifting set of claim 5, wherein the first operation state and the second operation state are switched by changing a position to which the engaging portion is attached to the frame, or by attaching and releasing a biasing member to the engaging portion.

7. A water treatment facility comprising:

the lifting apparatus of claim 1;

the water treatment device to be lifted by the lifting apparatus; and

a tank body in which the water treatment device is immersed in liquid to be treated.

8. The water treatment facility of claim 7, wherein the engaging portion of the lifting apparatus has a second operation state in addition to the first operation state, in which the engaging portion disengages from the engageable portion by a weight thereof or a biased force, when the lifting apparatus further approaches the water treatment device after the water treatment device has been installed into a predetermined position from a lifted state thereof being lifted by the lifting apparatus.

9. The water treatment facility of claim 8, wherein the first operation state and the second operation state are switched by changing a position to which the engaging portion is attached to the frame, or by attaching and releasing a biasing member to the engaging portion.

10. The water treatment facility of claim 7, wherein the water treatment device is a membrane separation device.