Sleeve for Cable Stop Splitting Force Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable stops, tow stops, and carriage stops often break down due to high compressive forces and relative motion with cable catches or tow balls, leading to costly and heavy components that are prone to wear and maintenance issues.
Innovation Solution
A sleeve device with a bore designed to receive and retain cable stops, tow stops, or carriage stops, featuring a covering made of composites or ceramics to distribute and absorb splitting forces, reducing the load on cable catches or tow balls, and allowing for lighter, less expensive components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cable stops are directly engaged by cable catches or tow balls to prevent cable extension, then the cable extension is effectively stopped and the vehicle can tow the cable, but the cable stops experience high compressive forces and splitting forces that cause wear, unraveling, and breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
A sleeve is introduced as an intermediary component between the cable stop and the cable catch/tow ball. The sleeve has a bore that receives the cable stop and features a broader engagement surface that interfaces with the cable catch or tow ball. This intermediary structure distributes the compressive and splitting forces across its larger surface area, preventing the high localized forces that cause the cable stop to unravel and break down.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the engagement interface by providing a sleeve with specific dimensional relationships. The sleeve has a bore diameter that is smaller than its outer diameter, creating a stepped geometry. This parameter change allows the sleeve to present a broader surface to the cable catch/tow ball while maintaining a snug fit around the cable stop, thereby distributing forces more effectively.
2Reliability
If heavy and complex cable catches or tow balls are used to hold the cable stop, then the cable stop can be retained, but the components become extremely heavy, expensive to produce and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve acts as a mediator that protects the cable stop from direct engagement forces. By distributing these forces across the sleeve's broader surface area, the cable catch or tow ball experiences reduced peak loads. This allows the use of lighter, simpler cable catches or tow balls that would otherwise be insufficient if directly engaging the cable stop without the force-distributing sleeve.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the force distribution parameters at the engagement interface. The sleeve's geometry (bore diameter smaller than outer diameter) creates a force distribution pattern that reduces peak stresses on the cable catch/tow ball. This parameter optimization allows lighter components to achieve the same retention reliability.
3Power
If cable stops are directly engaged by cable catches or tow balls, then the axial load is transferred to these components, but the relative motion and twisting cause local wear and breakdown of the stop
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve serves as a protective intermediary between the cable stop and the cable catch/tow ball. It absorbs and distributes the wear and friction forces that result from relative motion and twisting, preventing these harmful effects from directly affecting the cable stop. The sleeve's material and geometry are designed to withstand these shear and friction loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the interface parameters by creating a sleeve with specific dimensional relationships. The bore diameter is sized to provide a snug fit around the cable stop, while the outer diameter provides a broader engagement surface. This parameter optimization reduces stress concentration and distributes wear more uniformly, preventing localized breakdown.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for retaining splitting forces incurred by a cable stop, tow stop or carriage stop is disclosed that includes a sleeve having a first end, a second end, and a bore extending from the first end to the second end. The bore is sized and configured to retain at least one of the cable stop, tow stop and carriage stop. The sleeve is sized and configured to retain splitting forces transferred from the cable stop, tow stop or carriage stop when the sleeve retains the cable stop, tow stop or carriage stop and is engaged by a cable catch or tow ball.