Cable Protection Pipe Assembly With Identical Locking Halves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable protection pipes are difficult to assemble due to the need for precise alignment and locking of two different halves, which can get stuck with dirt, and are costly to produce as they require two separate molds.
Innovation Solution
A cable protection pipe system comprising two identical pipe halves with locking latches that engage together, allowing for easier assembly and production using a single mold, with male and female connectors and protrusions for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If two different pipe halves are used with hinge and sliding locking elements, then the cable protection pipe can be assembled and disassembled, but the assembly becomes difficult and time-consuming requiring precise alignment and bending down to ground level
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe is divided into two identical halves that can be easily connected and disconnected. Each half is a separate component that can be independently handled and positioned, simplifying the assembly process compared to traditional single-piece designs with complex locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism uses asymmetric male and female connectors with teeth and cavities that naturally guide alignment during assembly. The asymmetric design ensures proper orientation without requiring precise manual alignment, eliminating the need for installers to bend down and manually position components.
2Reliability
If sliding locking elements are used to connect pipe halves, then the halves can be locked together, but the locking elements tend to get stuck due to dirt accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is extracted from the sliding mechanism and implemented through interlocking male and female connectors with teeth. This separate locking mechanism is less susceptible to dirt accumulation compared to sliding elements, as the interlocking teeth provide discrete engagement points that are harder for contaminants to interfere with.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using sliding elements that move along a surface and can get stuck, the invention uses protrusions and cavities that engage through insertion. The locking action occurs in reverse - rather than sliding into place and risking sticking, the connectors engage through a push-in motion where the teeth snap into the cavities, providing reliable locking without the sticking problem.
3Ease of manufacture
If two different pipe halves are manufactured, then the pipe can be assembled with locking mechanisms, but production costs increase due to requiring two different molds
Solution Approach 1:
Both pipe halves are made identical in shape and size, allowing a single mold to produce both components. This homogeneous design eliminates the need for maintaining two different molds, reducing manufacturing costs and simplifying production logistics while still enabling effective locking through the male-female connector design.
Solution Approach 2:
The identical pipe halves serve multiple functions: they provide the structural pipe body and also incorporate the locking mechanisms. The male and female connectors are integrated into the pipe halves themselves, eliminating the need for separate locking components and reducing the overall number of parts that need to be manufactured and managed.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit (100) for forming a pipe, such as a cable protection pipe (200), which pipe is elongated along an axis (X), which kit (100) comprises two identical pipe halves (110, 120) configured to extend in a dimension of the axis (X), and one or more than one locking latch(es) (130), which is/are configured to engage the pipe halves (110, 120) together.