Drain Hose Rib Structure to Prevent Insertion Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing drain hoses for automobile air conditioners have insufficient stiffness at the extremity, leading to deformation and difficulty in smoothly inserting the drain pipe, which hampers the connection process.
Innovation Solution
A drain hose design featuring a circumferential rib on the outer surface away from the extremity and axial ribs closer to the extremity, providing increased stiffness and facilitating easier insertion of the drain pipe by distributing the insertion force efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drain hose is made flexible for easy handling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the stiffness at the extremity is insufficient causing deformation and collapse during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The drain hose incorporates ribs (circumferential and axial) at specific locations to provide localized stiffness enhancement at the insertion portion while maintaining the overall flexibility of the hose for easy handling. The ribs are positioned only where structural support is needed during insertion, not along the entire hose length.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement structure is divided into multiple segments including circumferential ribs and axial ribs that work together to provide comprehensive support at the insertion portion. This segmented approach distributes the mechanical load during insertion across multiple reinforcement elements rather than relying on a single rigid structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If the drain hose has sufficient stiffness to prevent deformation, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in handling
Solution Approach 1:
The hose maintains flexibility for easy handling while incorporating localized rib structures at the insertion portion to ensure precise alignment and prevent deformation during insertion. The ribs provide the necessary structural precision only where needed for the connection process.
Solution Approach 2:
The circumferential and axial ribs create a three-dimensional reinforcement structure that provides multi-directional support at the insertion portion. This spatial arrangement of ribs enhances precision in multiple dimensions simultaneously while maintaining hose flexibility.
3Device complexity
If the drain hose uses a simple structure without ribs, then the device complexity is reduced, but the workability of connecting the drain hose deteriorates due to deformation during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The drain hose uses a relatively simple overall structure with added rib features only at the critical insertion portion. This localized approach to reinforcement minimizes the increase in device complexity while effectively preventing deformation during the connection process, improving workability without excessive structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A drain hose includes a hose main body into which a drain pipe is inserted and a circumferential rib formed on an outer peripheral surface of the hose main body to be away from an extremity of the hose main body and extend in a circumferential direction of the hose main body. The drain hose includes an axial rib formed on the outer peripheral surface of the hose main body to be positioned closer to the extremity of the hose main body than the circumferential rib and extend in an axial direction of the hose main body.