Fatigue-Resistant Cable Guide Side Plate Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cable protection and guide devices face issues such as high manufacturing and assembly times, premature breakage due to stress concentration and displacement, fatigue, and inability to maintain cleanliness due to wear powder scattering, especially in flexional operations.
Innovation Solution
The device connects pairs of side plates with connecting arms at intervals, using fatigue-resistant resin materials like elastomer-compounded polyamide or polybutylene terephthalate, and incorporates flexible coupling portions and concave/convex engagement mechanisms to reduce breakage and wear, allowing for reliable flexion and linear positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If side plates are connected to each other by fitting separate coupling elements between the side plates, then the guide chain can be assembled, but a significant number of manufacturing parts are required which requires significant assembly time and maintenance time
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element and side plate are integrated into a single molded part. The side plate includes integrated coupling protrusions that fit into coupling grooves of adjacent side plates, eliminating the need for separate coupling elements. This merging of parts reduces assembly time and the number of components while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The side plate is designed with multiple functions integrated into a single component: it provides structural support, includes coupling features for connection to adjacent side plates, and incorporates cable guiding surfaces. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of parts needed in the system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If side plates are connected by separate coupling elements, then the guide chain can flex, but displacements are gradually generated between side plate and coupling member by repeated flexure resulting in breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling portion is integrated directly into the side plate structure rather than being a separate component. This integration eliminates relative displacement between the coupling element and side plate during flexure, preventing the gradual displacement and breakage that occurs with separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The side plate includes a flexible coupling portion with a predetermined bending radius that allows controlled flexion. This dynamic design enables the guide chain to bend and flex as needed while maintaining structural integrity through the integrated design that prevents stress concentration at connection points.
3Force
If connecting rods protrude outside side edge of side plate to support load during flexion, then the guide device can handle loads, but the flexional portion composed of connecting rods would be broken by load applied during flexure
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing coupling portion is integrated into the side plate rather than using separate protruding connecting rods. This integration ensures that loads during flexion are distributed throughout the molded structure rather than concentrated at weak connection points between separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The side plate is molded from a fatigue-resistant resin material that combines strength and flexibility. This composite material approach allows the side plate to withstand repeated flexional loads without the connecting portion breaking, providing both load capacity and durability.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional materials are used for side plates, then manufacturing is simple, but breakage occurs in coupling portion due to repetition of flexional operations
Solution Approach 1:
The side plate is molded from a fatigue-resistant resin material specifically selected to withstand repeated flexional operations. This material choice maintains the simplicity of molded manufacturing while dramatically improving fatigue resistance and preventing breakage in the coupling portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the side plate are optimized by selecting a fatigue-resistant resin with appropriate mechanical properties. This parameter change in material selection allows the component to resist fatigue from repeated flexion while maintaining ease of manufacture through molding processes.
5Force
If slide portion of side plate wears during operation, then friction occurs, but wear powders generated by wearing scatter causing contamination in clean environments
Solution Approach 1:
The side plate is made from a fatigue-resistant resin material that exhibits reduced wear characteristics compared to conventional materials. This material selection minimizes the generation of wear powders during operation, reducing contamination in clean environments while maintaining necessary friction characteristics.
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
This design enhances fatigue resistance, reduces breakage, and prevents wear powder scattering, enabling the device to be used in clean environments with improved assembly efficiency and extended service life.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the side plates is molded by use of a fatigue resistant resin material... Breakage, which is liable to occur in a coupling portion of a side plate due to the repetition of flexional operations, is prevented and excellent fatigue resistance is exhibited
Implementation Method 2
a flexible coupling portion interposed between the front side plate portion and the rear side plate portion in an integrated manner... excellent fatigue resistance is exhibited
Data Source
AI summary
Breakage in a coupling portion of a side plate subjected to repeated flexure is prevented by using fatigue resistant resin materials in the side plate. The coupling portion of the side plate due is subjected to repeated flexure. Excellent fatigue resistance is realized. The fatigue resistant resin material is selected from the group of an elastomer—or rubber component—compounded polyamide resin and polybutylene terephthalate resin. The rubber component is selected from the group of ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM), nitrile rubber (NBR) and butyl rubber (IIR).