Tension expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipater

Abstract

The utility model provides a tension expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipater. The tension expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipater comprises a thin-wall metal tube, an expansion head and a steel wire rope. A pre-expansion part is formed at one end of the thin-wall metal pipe through pre-expansion, and the expansion head is arranged in the pre-expansion part; a through hole is formed in the expanding head; one end of the steel wire rope penetrates through the thin-wall metal pipe and is anchored to the expansion head, and the other end of the steel wire rope is a rope sleeve connected with the flexible protective net. The tension expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipater has the advantages of being clear in energy dissipation principle, simple in structure, low in cost and capable of being widely used and popularized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of infrastructure safety protection, and in particular to a tensile-expandable single-tube metal energy absorber for a flexible protective net. Background Art

[0002] As climate change intensifies, slope-related dynamic disasters such as collapses, rockfalls, and debris flows are becoming increasingly frequent, posing a serious threat to transportation, energy, urban infrastructure, and the safety of residents. The urgency of protecting against these disasters is growing. Flexible protection nets, with their "soft overcoming hardness" approach, demonstrate significant advantages such as high protection levels, short construction cycles, excellent environmental performance, and easy maintenance. In recent years, they have garnered significant attention in the field of slope-related dynamic disaster prevention and control, both domestically and internationally.

[0003] The energy dissipator, connected to the key rope of the flexible protective net, acts as a "fuse," preventing excessive internal forces in the rope through its smooth tensile deformation. As the most critical energy dissipating component in the flexible protective net, the energy dissipated by the energy dissipator during the interception process accounts for approximately 60%-80% of the net's overall energy consumption. Furthermore, the energy dissipator is also the core component of the flexible protective net that best reflects the manufacturer's unique technical characteristics.

[0004] Currently, energy dissipators used in flexible protective netting are generally categorized into three types: friction, plastic deformation, and hybrid. These products primarily include pressure dissipation rings, rod-type energy dissipators, U-shaped energy dissipators, and spring-type energy dissipators. The pressure dissipation ring is currently the most widely used energy dissipator in China, but it is actually based on a lapsed foreign patent. This has led to a trend of homogeneity among domestic flexible protective netting products, lacking unique manufacturer characteristics. Furthermore, the geometric changes of the pressure dissipation ring during operation lead to significant performance fluctuations and poor stability. Furthermore, the performance of a single pressure dissipation ring is limited, with a starting force typically below 50kN and energy dissipation generally below 50kJ. In engineering applications, to increase the starting force or deformation, the pressure dissipation rings are often connected in parallel or series. This bloats the energy dissipation components of the flexible protective netting, significantly complicating installation and maintenance, and limiting the development and application of higher-performance flexible protective netting. To develop high-performance flexible protective netting products and achieve more competitive production capacity, there is an urgent need to develop high-performance energy dissipators with independent intellectual property rights. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present application provides a tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy absorber, the purpose of which is to provide an energy absorber with a simple structure, a clear energy dissipation principle, and easy to promote and use on a large scale.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution proposed in this application is:

[0007] A tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy absorber includes a thin-walled metal tube, an expansion head and a steel wire rope; one end of the thin-walled metal tube is pre-expanded to form a pre-expanded portion, and the expansion head is arranged in the pre-expanded portion; a through hole is provided inside the expansion head; one end of the steel wire rope passes through the thin-walled metal tube and is anchored to the expansion head, and the other end of the steel wire rope is a rope loop for connecting to a flexible protective net.

[0008] Furthermore, the enlarged head is composed of a large cylinder, a small cylinder and a frustum that are fixedly connected in sequence. The diameter of the large cylinder is larger than the inner diameter of the thin-walled metal tube, and the diameter of the small cylinder is smaller than the inner diameter of the thin-walled metal tube.

[0009] Furthermore, after the steel wire rope is anchored to the enlarged head, the pre-expanded portion is flattened and a hole is opened.

[0010] Furthermore, the thin-walled metal tube is selected from a thin-walled aluminum alloy tube or a thin-walled steel tube.

[0011] Furthermore, the steel wire rope can be anchored to the enlarged head by means of clips, casting or pressing.

[0012] Furthermore, the wire rope loop is made by pressing, weaving or rope clamping.

[0013] Furthermore, the pre-expanded portion is provided with a hole, and the steel wire rope in the flexible protective net is connected to the hole and the rope loop respectively by using a shackle.

[0014] Furthermore, the semi-cone angle of the enlarged head cone is 10° to 30°, the height of the large cylinder is 10mm to 40mm, the height of the small cylinder is 5mm to 10mm, and the diameter of the small cylinder is 0.5mm to 1mm smaller than the inner diameter of the thin-walled metal tube.

[0015] Compared with the existing technology, the tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator of the present application has achieved the following beneficial technical effects:

[0016] This application is based on the basic principle of dissipating energy through the expansion and plastic deformation of metal pipes, and is combined with the characteristics of being connected to steel wire ropes and working under tension in flexible protective nets, to provide a tension connection structure. This energy absorber has the significant advantages of simple structure and convenient processing. At the same time, during the operation of the energy absorber, there are no drastic changes in the geometric shape, and the performance is stable and reliable. In addition, during the operation, the thin-walled metal pipe is always in a tensile state, and there is no problem of overall or local instability. The length of the energy absorber can be freely set according to needs. In addition, after the energy absorber is finished working, its enlarged head can be directly reused. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 This is the overall front view of the structure of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the structure of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 is the force-displacement curve of this application;

[0023] In the figure: 1-thin-wall metal tube, 2-enlarged head, 3-steel wire rope. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0025] The present invention provides Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment shows a tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator, comprising a thin-walled metal tube 1, an enlarged head 2 and a steel wire rope 3.

[0026] One end of a thin-walled metal tube (1) is pre-expanded to accommodate an expansion head (2). One end of a steel wire rope (3) passes through the tube (1) and the expansion head (2) and is anchored to the expansion head (2) by casting. The other end of the steel wire rope is pressed through an aluminum sleeve to form a rope loop. After the steel wire rope is anchored to the expansion head (2), the pre-expanded portion of the thin-walled metal tube (1) is flattened and a hole is opened.

[0027] The enlarger head 2 is composed of a large cylinder, a small cylinder, and a frustum. Made of high-strength metal, it is precision-machined and has a through hole inside. The diameter of the large cylinder is larger than the inner diameter of the thin-walled metal tube, while the diameter of the small cylinder is slightly smaller. The small cylinder is used to position the enlarger head 2 during installation.

[0028] The energy absorber adopts a shackle, which is connected to the steel wire rope in the flexible protective net through the circular hole at the flattened part of the thin-walled metal tube 1 and the rope loop of the steel wire rope 3.

[0029] like Figure 4 As shown, the energy dissipation principle of the present invention is: when the flexible protective net is impacted, the steel wire rope connected to the energy absorber pulls the steel wire rope 3, and the tension is transmitted to the enlarged head 2. The enlarged head 2 slides inside the thin-walled metal tube 1 and causes the thin-walled metal tube 1 to expand and plastically deform to achieve energy dissipation. At the same time, the enlarged head 2 will also generate friction energy dissipation when sliding inside the thin-walled metal tube 1.

[0030] The present invention is based on the fundamental principle of dissipating energy through the expansion and plastic deformation of metal pipes. Combined with the characteristics of being used in flexible protective nets and connected to steel wire ropes for tension-resistant operation, a tension-resistant connection structure is provided. This energy dissipator boasts the remarkable characteristics of simple construction and convenient processing. Furthermore, during operation, the energy dissipator experiences no drastic changes in geometry, ensuring stable performance. Furthermore, during operation, the thin-walled metal pipe is always in tension, preventing overall or local instability, and the length of the energy dissipator can be freely determined based on demand. Furthermore, after the energy dissipator has completed operation, its enlarged head can be directly reused.

[0031] Example

[0032] In this embodiment, a thin-walled aluminum alloy tube with a diameter of 60 mm and a wall thickness of 5 mm was selected. The yield strength of the tube, σs, was 100 MPa. The diameter of the large cylinder of the enlarged head was 58 mm, the semi-conical angle of the frustum of the enlarged head was α = 15°, the height of the large cylinder was h = 15 mm, and the diameter of the small cylinder was 49 mm and the height was 5 mm. Test results show that the activation force of an expandable single-tube metal energy dissipator of this size is 105 kN.

[0033] like Figure 5 The figure shows the force-displacement curve of an expandable single-tube metal energy dissipator of this size under test, as well as a comparison of the force-displacement curves of the present invention and the GS-8002 pressure relief ring. Under operating conditions, the energy dissipator of the present invention absorbs approximately 105 kJ of energy per linear meter, while the more robust GS-8002 pressure relief ring absorbs only approximately 50 kJ per linear meter. This indicates that, under the same conditions, the use of the present invention can reduce the number of energy dissipators by approximately half.

[0034] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator, characterized by: The invention comprises a thin-walled metal tube (1), an enlarged head (2) and a steel wire rope (3); one end of the thin-walled metal tube (1) is pre-expanded to form a pre-expanded portion, and the enlarged head (2) is arranged in the pre-expanded portion; a through hole is provided inside the enlarged head (2); one end of the steel wire rope (3) passes through the thin-walled metal tube (1) and is anchored to the enlarged head (2), and the other end of the steel wire rope (3) is a rope loop for connecting to a flexible protective net.

2. The tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The enlarged head (2) is composed of a large cylinder, a small cylinder and a frustum that are fixedly connected in sequence. The diameter of the large cylinder is larger than the inner diameter of the thin-walled metal tube (1), and the diameter of the small cylinder is smaller than the inner diameter of the thin-walled metal tube (1).

3. The tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the steel wire rope (3) is anchored to the enlarged head (2), the pre-expanded portion is flattened and a hole is opened.

4. The tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thin-walled metal tube (1) is selected from a thin-walled aluminum alloy tube or a thin-walled steel tube.

5. The tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steel wire rope (3) can be anchored to the enlarged head (2) by means of clipping, casting or pressing.

6. The tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steel wire rope loop is made by pressing, weaving or rope clamping.

7. The tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pre-expanded portion is provided with holes, and the steel wire ropes in the flexible protective net are respectively connected to the holes and the rope loops by using shackles.

8. The tensile expansion type single-tube metal energy dissipator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The semi-cone angle of the cone of the enlarged head (2) is 10° to 30°, the height of the large cylinder is 10mm to 40mm, the height of the small cylinder is 5mm to 10mm, and the diameter of the small cylinder is 0.5mm to 1mm smaller than the inner diameter of the thin-walled metal tube (1).

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