Bend Fixture for Medium Pipe Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for bending rigid water and heating pipes require significant force and lack effective support to maintain the bent shape, especially in applications where connections within wall or floor structures are undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A bend fixture comprising a tubular support, an inner bend support, and an outer bend support, with a hinge and coupling arrangement, allows for easy bending and secure retention of the pipe in its bent state, enabling flexible bending and support without the need for extensive force or additional support structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional methods are used to bend rigid water pipes, then the pipe can be bent, but significant force is required and firm support is needed to maintain the bent state
Solution Approach 1:
A bend fixture acts as an intermediary device between the pipe and the bending force. The fixture includes a support surface that provides a curved path and a retention member that secures the pipe during bending, thereby reducing the force needed compared to direct bending methods
Solution Approach 2:
The bending process is segmented into controlled stages using the bend fixture. The fixture divides the bending action into insertion, bending along a curved path, and retention phases, making the overall process easier to perform with reduced force
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional methods are used to bend rigid water pipes, then the pipe can be bent, but firm support structures are required to maintain the bent state
Solution Approach 1:
The bend fixture merges the support function and retention function into a single integrated device. The support surface and retention member work together as one unit to maintain the bent state, eliminating the need for separate complex support structures
Solution Approach 2:
The bend fixture serves as an intermediary that provides both support and retention during the bending process. This single intermediary device replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate support structures, simplifying the overall system
3Reliability
If a wall box with inner tap elbow is used, then the pipe connection is protected, but connections inside wall or floor structures cannot be avoided
Solution Approach 1:
The bend fixture extracts the bending and support function from traditional wall boxes and tap elbows. By providing a standalone fixture that creates bends outside wall/floor structures, it eliminates the need for internal connections while maintaining connection protection through the fixture's own structure
4Adaptability or versatility
If the pipe is bent within wall, floor, or ceiling structure, then connections outside structure are enabled, but the rigid pipe requires significant force to bend
Solution Approach 1:
The bend fixture acts as an intermediary device positioned outside wall/floor structures that provides a curved support path. This mediator enables bending in accessible locations while reducing the force required through its structured support surface and retention mechanism
Data Source
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AI summary
A bend fixture (100) for bending a medium pipe comprises a body part (110) comprising a tubular support (111) configured to receive a section (163) of a medium pipe (160) therein, and an inner bend support (113) configured to allow the medium pipe to be bent about the inner bend support. The bend fixture also comprises an outer bend support (130) configured to support the medium pipe from an outer side of the bend so as to keep the medium pipe bent. The outer bend support is coupled to the body part via a hinge (150) and is turnable between an open position to allow the section of the medium pipe in substantially straight state to be inserted into the tubular support, and a closed position to keep the medium pipe bent about the inner bend support. The bend fixture comprises a pipe coupling arrangement (133) configured to couple together the outer bend support, in its open position, and the medium pipe outside the section in the tubular support.