Adjustable Pipe Clamp Assembly for Fast Strut Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of pipes and other elongate articles to struts in buildings is time-consuming due to the need for multiple struts and specific clamps, especially when dealing with varying pipe diameters, including those with insulation.
Innovation Solution
A connecting device featuring a flexible elongate member with a clamping arrangement, including a movable clamping element and a carriage with an urging arrangement, which applies a reaction force to clamp the member around the article, allowing for easy attachment and detachment, and a tightening element to secure the pipe without over-tightening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specific clamps are used for each pipe diameter, then secure attachment is achieved, but device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting device uses a universal clamping arrangement with an adjustable clamping element that can accommodate pipes of different diameters. The clamping element can be positioned at different locations along the flexible elongate member to adapt to various pipe sizes, eliminating the need for multiple specific clamps while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping element is made movable along the flexible elongate member, allowing dynamic adjustment to different pipe diameters. This dynamic positioning capability enables a single clamping arrangement to serve multiple pipe sizes, reducing device complexity while ensuring reliable attachment for each specific diameter.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple struts are used to support pipes, then load distribution is improved, but installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting device combines the clamping function and strut support function into a single integrated assembly. The clamping arrangement directly attaches the pipe to the strut through the flexible elongate member, merging multiple functions into one device and simplifying the installation process while maintaining proper load distribution across multiple struts.
3Reliability
If tight clamping is applied to secure pipes, then attachment reliability improves, but risk of over-tightening increases
Solution Approach 1:
The urging arrangement provides automatic feedback control for the clamping force. The spring-based urging mechanism naturally adjusts the clamping element's position and force based on the pipe diameter and resistance, preventing over-tightening while ensuring sufficient attachment reliability. The system self-regulates the clamping force to match the specific pipe being secured.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device simplifies the installation process by accommodating various pipe sizes with minimal hardware, reducing installation time and ensuring secure attachment while preventing over-tightening and longitudinal movement.
Implementation Method 1
the carriage including an urging arrangement, and the carriage further including a reaction member to apply a reaction force on the urging arrangement and enable the urging arrangement to urge the clamping element to the clamping position
Data Source
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AI summary
A connecting device (10) is disclosed for connecting an article (12) to a support (14). The connecting device (10) comprises a flexible elongate member (20) and a clamping arrangement (18) for clamping the flexible elongate member (20) around the article (12). The clamping arrangement (18) comprises a body (22) and a clamping element (34). The clamping element (34) is movable between clamping and non-clamping positions. In the clamping position, the clamping element (34) clamps the flexible elongate member (20) to the body (22), thereby attaching the article (12) to the clamping arrangement (18). In the non-clamping position, the flexible elongate member (20) is movable through the body (22).