Dual Drum Camera Reel for Independent Cable and Hose Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe inspection and cleaning systems face difficulties in efficiently deploying and retracting cables and hoses of varying dimensions and flexibility, leading to cumbersome and challenging operations, especially when multiple cables or hoses need to be managed simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A cable handling device with integrated clips, clamps, and pipe guides, along with remotely controlled clamps and a motorized feeder, facilitates cable management, steering, and protection, allowing for simultaneous deployment and retraction of multiple cables and hoses, including camera and flex-shaft systems, using a dual drum-reel configuration for efficient handling and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling of multiple cables and hoses is used, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cable handling functions into a single integrated device. The cable handling device includes a housing that receives and manages multiple cables and hoses simultaneously, with coupling mechanisms that can secure multiple lines at once. This merging of functions allows operators to deploy and retract multiple cables through one unified interface rather than handling each separately, directly improving ease of operation while the integrated design keeps the overall device complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable handling device is designed with universal applicability to handle various types of cables and hoses with different dimensions and flexibilities. The housing and coupling mechanisms are configured to accommodate multiple cable types simultaneously, providing a multi-functional solution that can manage inspection cables, cleaning hoses, and power cables all through a single device, thereby improving operational ease without requiring separate specialized equipment for each cable type.
2Productivity
If multiple cables and hoses are handled simultaneously, then productivity improves, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in keeping them together
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple cable management functions into a single housing structure. The device includes multiple coupling mechanisms positioned at different locations within the housing, allowing operators to secure and manage multiple cables and hoses simultaneously through one unified device. This integration enables faster deployment and retraction operations while maintaining ease of operation by providing a single point of control for all cables.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is segmented into multiple sections with individual coupling mechanisms for different cables and hoses. Each coupling mechanism can independently secure a specific cable or hose, allowing for organized management of multiple lines. This segmentation within the unified housing structure enables operators to handle multiple cables efficiently while maintaining clear organization and control over each individual line.
3Productivity
If cables of different dimensions and flexibilities are handled manually, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to cumbersome operations
Solution Approach 1:
The cable handling device is designed with universal coupling mechanisms that can accommodate cables and hoses of varying dimensions and flexibilities. The housing includes multiple coupling points with adjustable configurations, allowing the same device to efficiently manage different cable types simultaneously. This multi-functionality improves productivity by enabling rapid deployment of diverse cable assemblies without requiring separate specialized equipment for each cable type, while the standardized coupling design keeps device complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
Cable handling devices, methods and systems are provided for securing and deploying, or retracting, one or more cables or hoses into or out of a pipe or cavity allowing inspection of the pipe or cavity. The cables and/or hoses may be coupled and moved together, or decoupled enabling them to be moved independently. A hand-held device with a housing for at least partially enclosing one or more cables or hoses, at least one coupling mechanism integrally attached to the housing, and a coupling control for coupling and decoupling the one or more cables or hoses may be provided. One or more of the cables may be connected to a camera disposed at the distal end of a cable thereby facilitating inspection of the pipe or cavity. Tools such as cutting devices or a jetter may be provided at the end of the one or more cables and/or hoses.