Elastic Sleeve Mounting Lever for Reusable Holdout Tube Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tool systems for mounting elastic sleeves in medium voltage cabling are costly, generate waste, and pose risks of damaging cables or pre-installed mastics, with inefficient assembly processes and potential for mechanical damage.
Innovation Solution
A tool system comprising a holdout tube with an interface element and an actuation lever that transfers pressure to push the elastic sleeve off the tube during assembly, allowing for efficient and safe mounting while minimizing waste and enabling reusability of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spiral support tubes are used to hold the elastic sleeve, then the sleeve can be supported during mounting, but the mounting procedure becomes more time consuming and risks damaging the cable or pre-installed mastics
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the support function from the traditional spiral tube and transfers it to a holdout tube that is integrated with the elastic sleeve assembly. The holdout tube is designed to be removed easily after mounting by pulling it through the sleeve, eliminating the time-consuming and risky removal process of spiral tubes while maintaining support functionality during mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is segmented into distinct functional components: the elastic sleeve, the holdout tube, and the actuation lever. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently - the holdout tube provides support, the lever provides actuation force, and the sleeve provides the sealing function - reducing overall mounting time and complexity.
2Reliability
If outer holdout tubes are used to keep the elastic sleeve in the expanded state, then the sleeve can be held during mounting, but the holdout tube must be destroyed or removed and produces a lot of waste
Solution Approach 1:
The holdout tube is designed to be easily removed and recovered after serving its purpose. By pulling the holdout tube through the elastic sleeve, it can be extracted intact and reused for subsequent mounting operations, eliminating the need to destroy or discard it and reducing material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The holdout tube serves multiple functions: it provides support during mounting, enables easy removal through the sleeve, and can be reused for subsequent installations. This multi-functionality reduces waste by allowing the same component to be used repeatedly across different mounting tasks.
3Ease of operation
If holdouts with supporting tube covered with pressure resistant grease are used, then the elastic sleeve can slide on the grease during mounting, but the assembly becomes more complex and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The interface element acts as an intermediary between the holdout tube and the elastic sleeve. It provides the necessary sliding surface and force transmission without requiring grease coatings or complex lubrication systems. The interface element's geometry and material properties enable smooth interaction, simplifying the overall assembly while maintaining ease of operation.
4Productivity
If manual force is applied directly to push the elastic sleeve off the holdout tube, then the sleeve can be mounted, but excessive manual effort is required and safety is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation lever transforms the static pushing action into a dynamic leveraged motion. By positioning the fulcrum strategically and applying force at the longer arm, the system dynamically amplifies the operator's input force, reducing the effort required while maintaining control and safety throughout the mounting process.
Solution Approach 2:
The load arms of the actuation lever are designed with curved geometries that envelop the holdout tube. This curvature allows the lever to apply distributed pressure around the tube rather than concentrated point loads, improving safety by preventing damage while maintaining mounting efficiency through effective force application.
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 tool system facilitates efficient assembly of elastic sleeves with enhanced safety and reduced manufacturing costs, utilizing a lever mechanism to generate sufficient force for mounting without excessive manual effort, thus overcoming the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
an actuation lever engaging the holdout tube at a fulcrum region of the actuation lever. The actuation lever has a pair of load arms partly encompassing the holdout tube
Implementation Method 2
The actuation lever actuates the interface element by pressing the load regions of the actuation lever against the interface element
Implementation Method 3
an interface element movable along the longitudinal axis and transferring pressure onto the elastic sleeve to push the elastic sleeve off the holdout tube during mounting
Data Source
AI summary
A tool system for mounting an elastic sleeve includes a holdout tube supporting the elastic sleeve prior to and during mounting, the holdout tube having a longitudinal axis, an interface element movable along the longitudinal axis and transferring pressure onto the elastic sleeve to push the elastic sleeve off the holdout tube during mounting, and an actuation lever engaging the holdout tube at a fulcrum region of the actuation lever. The actuation lever has a pair of load arms partly encompassing the holdout tube. A load region is arranged at a peripheral end of each of the load arms. The actuation lever actuates the interface element by pressing the load regions of the actuation lever against the interface element.