Clamping Collar With Foldable Retaining Tabs for Tube Pre-Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping systems face challenges in ensuring reliable pre-mounting, particularly for large diameter tubes, due to difficulties in achieving the right range of elastic deformation for pre-mounting tabs, which can lead to high engagement forces and compromised retention during clamping.
Innovation Solution
A clamping system featuring a collar with a belt and a washer that includes foldable retaining fingers with a free end portion projecting beyond the belt edge, allowing manual manipulation and positive retention by folding the fingers to cooperate with a radially projecting element on the tube, enhancing pre-mounted retention without compromising clamping quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the elastic modulus of the tabs is made sufficiently high to ensure elastic retention during pre-mounting, then the tabs can resume their position to retain the tube, but the engagement thrust force becomes high and difficult to achieve during final mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining fingers are designed to be foldable, transitioning from a retracted position during engagement to a folded position for retention. This dynamic transformation allows the system to adapt its mechanical properties: during engagement the fingers are flat and flexible allowing easy insertion, then they are manually folded to create a rigid retaining structure that prevents accidental disengagement
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining fingers are folded into the engaged position as a preliminary action before the clamping operation. This ensures that the retention mechanism is activated in advance, allowing the tabs to be pressed inside the belt during clamping without compromising retention, while the manual folding step is performed before final mounting
2Reliability
If the elastic modulus of the tabs is made sufficiently high to ensure elastic retention during pre-mounting, then the tabs can retain the tube, but the tabs cannot be easily pressed inside the belt during clamping
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining fingers transition from a flexible, flat state during engagement to a rigid, folded state for retention. This dynamic change allows the fingers to be easily inserted during manufacturing and assembly, then transformed into a rigid retaining structure that ensures reliable retention during clamping operations
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining finger is segmented into a base portion attached to the washer and a free end portion that can be manually folded. This segmentation allows the base to remain flexible for easy installation while the free end portion provides rigid retention when folded, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and retention reliability
3Ease of operation
If the free end portion of the retaining finger projects sufficiently to allow manual manipulation, then easy operation is achieved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining finger is divided into a base portion integrated with the washer and a free end portion that projects beyond the belt edge. This segmentation allows the free end to be manually manipulated for folding while the base remains integrated, achieving ease of operation without significantly increasing overall structure complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining finger is designed to be manually folded by the operator during assembly or maintenance. This self-service approach allows simple manual manipulation without requiring complex automated mechanisms, achieving ease of operation while keeping the structure relatively simple
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
The system provides controlled retention in the pre-mounted state, ensuring secure engagement and easy manual operation, while maintaining effective clamping without excessive deformation or high engagement forces, especially for large diameter tubes.
Implementation Method 1
at least one foldable retaining finger which has a free end portion projecting axially beyond a first edge of the belt... said free end portion having a retaining edge configured, when said end portion is folded towards the axis of the belt, to be retained outside the belt by a radially projecting element
Data Source
AI summary
A clamping system for connecting a first tube and a second tube whose facing ends have projecting clamping surfaces includes a collar having a belt able to be clamped around the clamping surfaces and a washer supported by the collar. The belt includes a first and a second sidewall between which is delimited an internal recess able to receive the clamping surfaces. The washer carries at least one foldable retaining finger which has a free end portion projecting axially beyond a first edge of the belt over a distance sufficient to allow manual manipulation thereof, the free end portion having a retaining edge configured, when the end portion is folded towards the axis of the belt, to be retained outside the belt by a radially projecting element.