Cable Plow Steering Pilot for Depth Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe and cable plow systems lack the means to maintain the height of the cable plow during installation, leading to potential downward movement or tipping, which results in inconsistent line depth and damage to the ground surface.
Innovation Solution
A pipe and cable plow system with a control pilot that is guided underground, providing support and maintaining a constant altitude, combined with a horizontal cutter plate for stabilization and pre-cutting knives for soil preparation, ensures parallel installation of multiple lines at a consistent depth without damaging the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a cable plow is used without elevation maintenance means, then the cable laying operation can proceed, but the cable plow experiences downward movement and tipping resulting in inconsistent line depth
Solution Approach 1:
The pilot section is placed in the ground ahead of the cable plow to pre-establish the correct elevation path. This preliminary action creates a guide template that the cable plow follows, ensuring consistent line depth before the actual cable laying occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The pilot section acts as an intermediary element between the ground and the cable plow. It mediates the elevation control by providing a physical reference that the cable plow's follower mechanism tracks, translating ground conditions into controlled cable placement depth.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a chassis is placed in front of the cable plow to provide support, then stability is improved, but the ground surface is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful chassis structure is extracted and replaced with a minimal-intrusion pilot section. The pilot section provides necessary stability through its guided follower mechanism without the ground damage caused by traditional chassis designs, separating the support function from the harmful structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The pilot section is a simple, easily replaceable component that can be quickly deployed and removed. Unlike permanent chassis structures, it serves its temporary purpose of establishing elevation control and can be discarded or relocated without significant cost or ground impact.
3Productivity
If multiple cables are laid in separate operations, then each cable can be individually positioned, but the installation time and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cable laying operations are merged into a single simultaneous operation. The cable plow is equipped with multiple laying units that can deposit several cables in one pass, combining what would otherwise require separate operations while maintaining precise spacing through the follower mechanism's geometric constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable plow system is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple cable types and configurations simultaneously. The universal follower mechanism can accommodate different cable diameters and the multiple laying units can be adjusted for various spacing requirements, making the system adaptable to diverse cable laying needs in a single operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a pipe and/or cable plowing system for laying two or more cables (11) in parallel in the subsoil, wherein the pipe and/or cable plowing system comprises a cable plow (10) and one or more towing vehicles for pulling the cable plow (10) through the subsoil along a predetermined direction of travel (F), wherein the cable plow (10) comprises two or more laying units (12), each laying unit (12) comprising a blade (13) suitable for engaging the subsoil to form a trench and a cable guide (14) for laying the cable (11) in the trench formed or formable by the blade (13), wherein the cable plow (10) comprises a steering pilot (15) guided or guideable in the subsoil for controlling the height of the cable plow (10) in the subsoil, wherein the cable plow (10) comprises a steering pilot (15) guided or guideable in the subsoil,wherein the steering pilot (15) is arranged in the intended direction of travel (F) in front of the laying units (12), and wherein the steering pilot (15) is configured to maintain the height of the cable plow (10) at a predetermined level when the cable plow (10) is pulled underground by one or more towing vehicles. The invention further relates to a method for the parallel installation of two or more lines (11) into the subsoil using a pipe and/or cable plow system.