Clamping Collar With Inverted Threaded Rod for Single-Nut Tightening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping collar designs require tedious handling of two nuts for tightening or compromise on compactness due to the elongated screwing length on one side of a lug.
Innovation Solution
A clamping collar design where the second nut is fixed relative to the second lug, and the tightening rod has threads of the same direction for both nuts, allowing single-nut operation by driving the first nut to screw onto the first thread and then turning the rod to engage the second thread, improving compactness and simplifying the tightening process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If two nuts are used for tightening the collar, then the tightening operation can be performed on both ends of the rod, but the operation becomes tedious requiring both nuts to be handled
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making both nuts movable for tightening, the invention makes one nut (the second nut) stationary relative to the second lug, while making the rod itself rotatable. This inverts the conventional approach where the nut rotates on a stationary rod, transforming the tightening mechanism to achieve simplification.
Solution Approach 2:
The rod acts as an intermediary element that transfers the rotational motion from the first nut to the second nut. When the first nut is driven, it rotates the rod, which in turn screws into the second nut, eliminating the need to manually handle the second nut.
2Ease of operation
If the threaded rod is a bolt with head held stationary, then tightening is simplified to single-nut operation, but the bolt portion projects beyond the lug causing poor compactness
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of holding the rod head stationary and rotating the nut, the invention holds the second nut stationary relative to the second lug and rotates the rod itself. This inversion allows the rod to act as both the fastening element and the rotating component, improving compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The rod has asymmetric threading with a first thread portion and a second thread portion of different lengths, allowing the rod to extend different distances on either side of the lugs. This asymmetric configuration optimizes compactness while maintaining functionality.
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
Enables efficient tightening with a single nut while maintaining compactness by balancing the rod's ends on either side of the lugs, allowing precise positioning and torque control.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded tightening rod (16), a first nut (18) co-operating with the first lug (12), a second nut (20) co-operating with the second lug (14) and suitable for co-operating by screw engagement respectively with the tightening rod and with the first and second lugs so as to bring the lugs towards each other
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a collar which includes a belt carrying first and second tightening lugs, a threaded tightening rod, and first and second nuts that co-operate respectively with the lugs so as to bring them towards each other by screw engagement with the rod. The second nut is retained so that it is prevented from moving in rotation relative to the second lug and the rod has first and second threads that co-operate respectively with the first nut and with the second nut in such a manner that driving the first nut in its screwing direction successively causes said first nut to be screwed onto the first thread, and the tightening rod to be driven, thereby screwing said tightening rod into the second nut.