A measurable pre-tensioned cable clamp

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of suspension bridge, specifically disclose a kind of pre-tightening force cable clamp, it includes the multiple cable clamp half body that is surrounded in circumferential main cable hole, and the butt pressure bearing platform between adjacent cable clamp half body is connected by multiple screw rod components;The screw rod body of the screw rod component is arranged with sensor for monitoring the deformation of screw rod body at any end portion, and the sensor is signal connected with data collector by data line;The data collector is arranged on any cable clamp half body.The utility model can obtain the screw rod body deformation data of accurately analyzing pre-tightening force change on the one hand, and it is beneficial to obtain high-accuracy monitoring effect;On the other hand, on the basis of meeting sensor monitoring function, the forming structure of entire cable clamp is more simple, easy to assemble and stable in service.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of suspension bridge technology, specifically a cable clamp for suspension bridges that can measure preload. Background Technology

[0002] In suspension bridge structures, cable clamps are crucial transitional components connecting the main cable to the bridge deck via suspenders / rods. They transfer the dynamic and static loads of the bridge deck to the main cable, making them one of the key load-bearing units in the suspension bridge's stress system. A cable clamp typically consists of upper and lower halves forming a circumferential opening for the main cable. The mating bearing platforms of the upper and lower halves are connected by multiple tensioned screw assemblies to generate significant friction between the inner walls of the upper and lower halves and the main cable, achieving a stable installation and providing a certain degree of anti-slip capability on the catenary main cable.

[0003] However, during the service life of a suspension bridge, the preload of the cable clamp screw assembly decreases over time under the alternating loads of the cables. This leads to a reduction in the friction between the inner walls of the upper and lower halves of the cable clamp and the main cable, creating a risk of slippage between the cable clamp and the main cable, thus threatening bridge safety. Based on this phenomenon, according to bridge maintenance specifications, the preload of the cable clamp screw assembly needs to be monitored regularly during the service life of a suspension bridge. The conventional monitoring method is the torque wrench method. However, the torque wrench method is easily affected by factors such as the friction coefficient of the screw contact surface and the threaded portion, resulting in significant measurement errors and poor timeliness.

[0004] In recent years, with the development of information technology, sensor-based monitoring technology for the preload of cable clamp screw assemblies has received widespread attention and research in the industry. Examples include the technology disclosed in Chinese patent literature entitled "A Cable Clamp for Intelligent Monitoring of Screw Preload via Ultrasonic Testing," publication number CN 117030095 A, published on November 10, 2023. However, such technologies are complex in design, increasing the difficulty of construction and reducing service stability. Utility Model Content

[0005] The technical objective of this utility model is to provide a measurable preload cable clamp that is based on sensors to monitor the preload of the cable clamp screw assembly, addressing the special characteristics of the cable clamp service and the technical requirements for monitoring the preload of the cable clamp screw assembly, as well as the shortcomings of the existing technology.

[0006] The technical objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: a measurable pre-tightening cable clamp, comprising multiple cable clamp halves forming a main cable hole in the circumferential direction, with multiple screw assemblies connecting the mating pressure platforms of adjacent cable clamp halves. At any end of the screw body of the screw assembly, sensors are arranged to monitor the deformation of the screw body, and the sensors are connected to the data acquisition unit via data cables. The data acquisition units are arranged on any half of the cable clamp.

[0007] Furthermore, the sensor includes an ultrasonic thin-film transducer sensor; The ultrasonic thin-film transducer sensor monitors the deformation under preload at the end of the screw body.

[0008] Furthermore, the sensor also includes a temperature sensor; The temperature sensor monitors the material temperature of the screw body at the end of the screw body.

[0009] Furthermore, the temperature sensor and the ultrasonic thin-film transducer that make up the sensor are integrated on the same sensor substrate; The sensor substrate is attached and fixed to the end of the screw body.

[0010] Furthermore, the arrangement of the sensors at the end of the screw body is located within the space enclosed by the waterproof nut of the screw assembly; The waterproof nut has a thread hole; When the sensors are arranged in place at the end of the screw body, the data cable passes through the wire hole on the waterproof nut.

[0011] Furthermore, the hole for threading the wire in the waterproof nut is sealed with a filling structure after the wire is threaded through.

[0012] Furthermore, the data acquisition devices are arranged on the planar structure of the docking pressure platform of the cable clamp half.

[0013] Furthermore, the data acquisition unit is detachably arranged on the docking pressure platform of the clamp half through brackets connected to the four corners on the back side.

[0014] Furthermore, the data acquisition device is connected to the backend monitoring PC via remote communication.

[0015] Furthermore, the cable clamp has an upper half and a lower half, and the upper half and the lower half are connected by two sets of docking pressure bearing platforms arranged in the circumferential direction to form a main cable hole. Each screw assembly at each set of docking pressure bearing platforms is connected to a sensor, and each sensor shares the same data acquisition device. Alternatively, the cable clamp has a left half and a right half, and the left half and the right half are connected by two sets of circumferentially arranged docking pressure platforms to form a main cable hole. Each screw assembly at each set of docking pressure platforms is connected to a sensor, and each sensor shares the same data acquisition device.

[0016] The beneficial technical effects of this utility model are as follows: The above-mentioned technical measures are designed to address the special characteristics of the cable clamp service of the suspension bridge and the technical requirements for monitoring the preload of the cable clamp screw assembly. They are basically based on the existing cable clamp structure, with corresponding sensors arranged at the ends of the screw assembly and data acquisition devices arranged on the cable clamp half. This forms a sensor-based monitoring structure for monitoring the preload of the cable clamp screw assembly. On the one hand, it can obtain and analyze the deformation data of the screw body to analyze changes in preload, enabling continuous, timely, and accurate judgment of changes in the preload of the screw assembly, thus facilitating high-accuracy monitoring. On the other hand, the resulting cable clamp structure, which monitors the preload of the cable clamp screw assembly based on sensors, is simple, easy to assemble, and has stable service performance.

[0017] Furthermore, among the aforementioned technical measures, based on the influence of temperature changes on the deformation of the screw body, the temperature of the screw assembly can be directly monitored through a temperature sensor. Thus, when analyzing the preload changes of the screw assembly, the deformation data of the screw body can be corrected using temperature change data, thereby reliably improving the accuracy of sensor-based monitoring of the preload of the cable clamp screw assembly and minimizing control errors.

[0018] Among the above technical measures, based on the special structure of the screw assembly and the technical requirement of arranging the sensors at the end of the screw body, by opening a through hole in the waterproof nut to allow the sensor data line to be led out, it neither hinders the pre-tightening of the screw assembly nor the sealing of the corresponding end of the screw assembly by the waterproof nut, and can also effectively reduce the interference of external environmental factors on the sensor monitoring performance. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure at point AA.

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the screw assembly structure.

[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional image.

[0023] Figure 6 This is another structural schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0024] The symbols in the diagram mean: 1—Upper half of the cable clamp; 2—Lower half of the cable clamp; 3—Screw assembly; 31—Screw body; 32—Nut assembly; 33—Waterproof nut; 34—Wire hole; 4—Sensor; 41—Data cable; 5—Data acquisition unit; 6—Main cable hole; 7—Bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0025] This utility model relates to the field of suspension bridge technology, specifically a cable clamp for suspension bridges capable of measuring preload. The main technical solution of this utility model is described in detail below with reference to several embodiments. Embodiment 1 is illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings—that is… Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The technical solution of this utility model will be clearly and thoroughly explained; Embodiment 2 is illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 6 The technical solution of this utility model is clearly and in detail explained; although other embodiments are not shown in separate drawings, their main structure can still be referred to the drawings of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2.

[0026] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings of this utility model are schematic, and unnecessary details have been simplified to clarify the technical purpose of this utility model, so as to avoid obscuring the technical solution contributed by this utility model to the prior art. In addition, the expressions such as "about" and "basically" regarding quantity or fit relationship in the following text mean that reasonable assembly errors and processing errors are allowed in the industry, and do not literally describe absolute quantity or fit relationship.

[0027] Example 1 See Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, this utility model is a pin-connected cable clamp with measurable preload. It has an upper clamp 1 and a lower clamp 2. The upper clamp 1 and the lower clamp 2 have platform-structured docking pressure plates at their circumferential ends. Like other conventional cable clamp structures, the upper clamp 1 and the lower clamp 2 are circumferentially connected by two sets of docking pressure plates arranged in the circumferential direction to form a main cable hole 6, through which the main cable is threaded. The lower clamp 2 has a downwardly extending ear plate at the bottom center for connecting the sling / rod. In the length direction of each set of docking pressure plates, multiple screw assemblies 3 are spaced apart, that is, the docking pressure plates of adjacent circumferentially connected cable clamp halves are connected by multiple screw assemblies 3.

[0028] Each screw assembly 3 mainly consists of a screw body 31, nut assemblies 32 connected to both ends of the screw body 31, and a waterproof nut 33 that covers the corresponding nut assembly 32 at the corresponding pressure plate. See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the preload of the screw assembly 3 is monitored at the end of the screw body 31 in the upper half 1 of the cable clamp. Therefore, a wire hole 34 is provided at the center of the waterproof nut 33 in the upper half 1 of the cable clamp, while the waterproof nut 33 in the lower half 1 of the cable clamp has a conventional structure.

[0029] During the service of the cable clamp, in order to achieve dynamic monitoring of the preload of the screw assembly 3, a sensor 4 is bonded to the upper end face of the screw body 31 of the aforementioned screw assembly 3. The sensor 4 is located within the range of the waterproof nut 33 covering the upper half 1 of the cable clamp. The aforementioned sensor 4 includes an ultrasonic thin-film transducer sensor and a temperature sensor that operate independently and are integrated on the same basis. The ultrasonic thin-film transducer sensor monitors the deformation of the screw body under the current preload state at the end of the screw body 31 (i.e., the ultrasonic pulse electrical signal between the transmitted wave and the echo will have different times due to the deformation of the screw body, and the time difference under different deformation states is used as the monitoring basis). The temperature sensor monitors the material temperature of the screw body at the end of the screw body 31. In other words, sensors 4 capable of monitoring the deformation and material temperature of the screw body 31 are arranged at the upper end face of the aforementioned screw body 31. These sensors 4 have data cables 41 that connect to the data acquisition unit 5. Based on the arrangement of the sensors 4 within the space enclosed by the waterproof cap 33 at the end of the screw body 31, and the corresponding wire-passing holes 34 on the waterproof cap 33, when the sensors 4 are positioned at the end of the screw body 31, the data cable 41 passes through the wire-passing holes 34 on the waterproof cap 33 and connects to the data acquisition unit 5. After the wire is passed through the wire-passing holes 34 of the waterproof cap 33, the holes are filled with flexible filler and / or potting compound to achieve the required waterproof sealing.

[0030] The aforementioned data acquisition device 5 is detachably arranged on one side of the upper half 1 of the cable clamp via brackets 7 connected at the four corners of the back, and the planar structure of the docking pressure platform is used as the installation base.

[0031] Based on the above-mentioned cable clamp structure, there are multiple screw assemblies 3, and each screw assembly 3 is equipped with a sensor 4 that monitors the corresponding preload. The sensors 4 of these screw assemblies 3 are connected to the data acquisition unit 5 via their respective data lines 41. That is, the sensors 4 of each screw assembly 3 of the same cable clamp share the same data acquisition unit 5. The data acquisition unit 5 is used to collect the monitoring data of each sensor. The data acquisition unit 5 is connected to the PC for back-end monitoring via remote communication. The PC processes and analyzes the data collected by the data acquisition unit 5 and outputs the monitoring results.

[0032] Thus, the cable clamp of the above structure can obtain ultrasonic monitoring data generated by the deformation of the screw body, as well as material temperature data of the screw body. When these data are transmitted to the PC, the PC analyzes them directly according to the monitoring software or by manual analysis, and corrects the ultrasonic monitoring data with the temperature data, thereby achieving high-accuracy monitoring of the preload of the screw assembly and reducing monitoring errors.

[0033] The cable clamp described above, based on the monitoring of the preload of the screw assembly by the sensor, inevitably requires a certain amount of working power. This power is usually provided by the battery located at the data acquisition unit. Of course, to ensure reliability, the data acquisition unit also monitors the battery power data to transmit it to the backend PC.

[0034] Example 2 See Figure 6 As shown, this utility model is a pin-connected cable clamp with measurable preload. It has an upper clamp 1 and a lower clamp 2. The upper clamp 1 and the lower clamp 2 have platform-structured docking pressure plates at their circumferential ends. Like other conventional cable clamp structures, the upper clamp 1 and the lower clamp 2 are circumferentially connected by two sets of docking pressure plates arranged in the circumferential direction to form a main cable hole 6, through which the main cable is threaded. The lower clamp 2 has a downwardly extending ear plate at the bottom center for connecting the sling / rod. In the length direction of each set of docking pressure plates, multiple screw assemblies 3 are spaced apart, that is, the docking pressure plates of adjacent circumferentially connected cable clamp halves are connected by multiple screw assemblies 3.

[0035] Each screw assembly 3 mainly consists of a screw body, nut assemblies connected to both ends of the screw body, and a waterproof nut 33 that covers the corresponding nut assembly at the corresponding pressure plate. In this embodiment, the preload of the screw assembly 3 is monitored at the end of the screw body at the lower half 2 of the cable clamp. Therefore, a wire hole is provided at the center of the waterproof nut 33 at the lower half 2 of the cable clamp, while the waterproof nut at the upper half 1 of the cable clamp has a conventional structure.

[0036] During the service of the cable clamp, in order to achieve dynamic monitoring of the preload of the screw assembly 3, a sensor is bonded to the lower end face of the screw body of the aforementioned screw assembly 3. This sensor is located within the waterproof nut cover area of ​​the lower half 2 of the cable clamp. The aforementioned sensor includes an ultrasonic thin-film transducer sensor and a temperature sensor that operate independently and are integrated on the same basis. The ultrasonic thin-film transducer sensor monitors the deformation of the screw body under the current preload state at the end of the screw body (i.e., the ultrasonic pulse electrical signal between the transmitted wave and the echo will have different times due to the deformation of the screw body, and the time difference under different deformation states is used as the monitoring basis). The temperature sensor monitors the material temperature of the screw body at the end of the screw body. In other words, sensors capable of monitoring the deformation and material temperature of the screw body are arranged at the lower end face of the aforementioned screw body. These sensors have a data cable 41 connected to the data acquisition unit 5. Based on the arrangement of the sensors within the space enclosed by the waterproof nut 33 at the end of the screw body, and the corresponding wire-passing hole on the waterproof nut 33, when the sensors are positioned at the end of the screw body, the data cable 41 passes through the wire-passing hole on the waterproof nut 33 and connects to the data acquisition unit 5. After the wire is passed through the wire-passing hole of the waterproof nut 33, it is filled with flexible filler and / or potting compound to achieve the required waterproof seal.

[0037] The aforementioned data acquisition device 5 is detachably arranged on one side of the upper half 1 of the cable clamp via brackets 7 connected at the four corners of the back side, and the planar structure of the docking pressure platform is used as the installation base.

[0038] Based on the above-mentioned cable clamp structure, there are multiple screw assemblies 3. Each screw assembly 3 is equipped with a sensor that monitors the corresponding preload. The sensors of these screw assemblies 3 are connected to the data acquisition unit 5 via their respective data lines 41. That is, the sensors of each screw assembly 3 in the same cable clamp share the same data acquisition unit 5. The data acquisition unit 5 is used to collect the monitoring data of each sensor. The data acquisition unit 5 is connected to the PC for back-end monitoring via remote communication. The PC processes and analyzes the data collected by the data acquisition unit 5 and outputs the monitoring results.

[0039] Thus, the cable clamp of the above structure can obtain ultrasonic monitoring data generated by the deformation of the screw body, as well as material temperature data of the screw body. When these data are transmitted to the PC, the PC analyzes them directly according to the monitoring software or by manual analysis, and corrects the ultrasonic monitoring data with the temperature data, thereby achieving high-accuracy monitoring of the preload of the screw assembly and reducing monitoring errors.

[0040] The cable clamp described above, based on the monitoring of the preload of the screw assembly by the sensor, inevitably requires a certain amount of working power. This power is usually provided by the battery located at the data acquisition unit. Of course, to ensure reliability, the data acquisition unit also monitors the battery power data to transmit it to the backend PC.

[0041] Example 3 The rest of the content of this embodiment is the same as that of embodiment 2, except that: The data acquisition unit is detachably arranged on one side of the lower half of the cable clamp and the side of the pressure bearing platform via brackets connected at the four corners of the back, using the planar structure of the pressure bearing platform as the installation base.

[0042] Example 4 The rest of the content of this embodiment is the same as that of embodiment 1, except that: The data acquisition unit is detachably arranged on one side of the lower half of the cable clamp and the side of the pressure bearing platform via brackets connected at the four corners of the back, using the planar structure of the pressure bearing platform as the installation base.

[0043] Example 5 The rest of the content of this embodiment is the same as that of embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, except that: The data acquisition unit is detachably arranged on one side of the upper half of the cable clamp and connected to the top surface of the pressure platform via brackets connected at the four corners of the back side, using the planar structure of the pressure platform as the installation base.

[0044] Example 6 The rest of the content of this embodiment is the same as that of embodiment 1 or 2, except that: In addition to being connected to a battery, the data acquisition unit is also connected to a solar panel.

[0045] Example 7 The rest of the content of this embodiment is the same as that of embodiment 1 or 2, except that: The sensor is only an ultrasonic thin-film transducer sensor; the temperature sensor has been eliminated.

[0046] Therefore, corrections to the ultrasonic data are performed using other conventional methods.

[0047] Example 8 The rest of the content of this embodiment is the same as any of embodiments 1 to 7, except that: The cable clamp of this utility model is a straddle-type cable clamp, which has a left half and a right half. The two ends of the left half and the right half of the cable clamp have docking pressure platforms with platform structures. Like other conventional cable clamp structures, the left half and the right half of the cable clamp are circumferentially docked by two sets of docking pressure platforms arranged in the circumferential direction to form a main cable hole, through which the main cable is inserted. The upper area (i.e., top down) of the left half and the right half of the cable clamp has a concave, inverted U-shaped cross-section straddle groove for connecting the sling.

[0048] The above technical solutions are only used to illustrate this utility model, and not to limit it.

[0049] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above technical solutions, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the above technical solutions, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A measurable pretension cable clamp, comprising multiple cable clamp halves forming a main cable hole (6) in the circumferential direction, wherein the mating pressure bearing platforms of adjacent cable clamp halves are connected by multiple screw assemblies (3); Its features are: At any end of the screw body (31) of the screw assembly (3), there are sensors (4) arranged to monitor the deformation of the screw body (31). The sensors (4) are connected to the data acquisition unit (5) via data lines (41). The data acquisition unit (5) is arranged on any half of the cable clamp.

2. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor (4) includes an ultrasonic thin-film transducer; The ultrasonic thin-film transducer sensor monitors the deformation under preload at the end of the screw body (31).

3. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sensor (4) also includes a temperature sensor; The temperature sensor monitors the material temperature of the screw body at the end of the screw body (31).

4. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 3, characterized in that: The temperature sensor and the ultrasonic thin-film transducer that make up the sensor (4) are integrated on the same sensor substrate; The sensor substrate is attached and fixed to the end of the screw body (31).

5. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that: The sensor (4) is arranged at the end of the screw body (31) within the space enclosed by the waterproof nut (33) of the screw assembly (3); The waterproof nut (33) has a thread hole (34); When the sensor (4) is positioned at the end of the screw body (31), the data line (41) passes through the wire hole (34) on the waterproof nut (33).

6. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 5, characterized in that: The hole (34) of the waterproof nut (33) is sealed with a filling structure after the wire is threaded through.

7. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that: The data acquisition unit (5) is arranged on the planar structure of the docking pressure platform of the cable clamp half.

8. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 7, characterized in that: The data acquisition unit (5) is detachably arranged on the docking pressure platform of the cable clamp half through the brackets (7) connected to the four corners on the back side.

9. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 1, 7 or 8, characterized in that: The data acquisition device (5) is connected to the backend monitoring PC signal via remote communication.

10. The measurable pretension cable clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable clamp has an upper half (1) and a lower half (2). The upper half (1) and the lower half (2) are connected to form a main cable hole (6) by two sets of docking pressure bearing platforms arranged in the circumferential direction. Each screw assembly (3) at each set of docking pressure bearing platforms is connected to a sensor (4). Each sensor (4) shares the same data acquisition device (5). Alternatively, the cable clamp has a left half and a right half, and the left half and the right half are connected by two sets of circumferentially arranged docking pressure platforms to form a main cable hole. Each screw assembly at each set of docking pressure platforms is connected to a sensor, and each sensor shares the same data acquisition device.

Images