Fiber Rope Shackle with Reinforced Eyelets for Confined Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional load bearing shackles are heavy, rigid, and prone to corrosion, making them difficult to handle and use in limited spaces, and they do not offer the necessary flexibility or corrosion resistance for various lifting operations.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight load bearing shackle made from a fiber rope bow, such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyethylene, with a flexible design and corrosion-resistant materials, featuring a 'U' shaped arrangement and reinforced eyelets to secure a connection pin, allowing for adjustable configuration and ease of use in confined areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional steel shackles are used, then strength and durability are improved, but weight increases and handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The shackle combines fiber rope (synthetic material) with metal eyelets and connection pins, creating a composite structure where each material contributes its strengths: fiber provides lightness and flexibility, while metal components provide strength at critical load-bearing points
Solution Approach 2:
The shackle uses different materials with different properties in different locations: fiber rope for the bow (lightweight, flexible), metal eyelets for connection points (strong, durable), and metal connection pins (strong, secure). This local differentiation optimizes both weight and strength where needed
2Duration of action of stationary object
If conventional steel shackles are used, then durability is improved, but corrosion resistance worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The shackle replaces corrosible steel components with corrosion-resistant synthetic fiber rope for the bow, while using small amounts of treated or stainless metal for eyelets and pins. This composite approach provides excellent corrosion resistance while maintaining durability through material selection
Solution Approach 2:
The design accepts that the fiber rope bow may have a limited service life compared to steel, but this is offset by the low cost and ease of replacement, while the metal eyelets and pins are designed to be durable and corrosion-resistant for long-term use
3Stability of the object's composition
If rigid steel shackles are used, then structural stability is improved, but flexibility and adaptability to confined spaces worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The shackle bow is made from flexible fiber rope that can bend, conform, and adapt to confined spaces and irregular surfaces, while the metal eyelets and connection pins provide rigid structural stability at the connection points where strength is most needed
Solution Approach 2:
The fiber rope bow can dynamically adjust its shape and position to fit various configurations and confined spaces, while the metal components maintain fixed, stable connection points. This dynamic flexibility combined with static stability solves the contradiction
4Force
If heavy duty steel materials are used, then load bearing capacity is improved, but ease of operation and handling worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The shackle uses fiber rope for the bow which is lightweight and easy to handle, while metal eyelets and connection pins provide the necessary load bearing capacity. This composite structure achieves both ease of operation and sufficient force capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The design concentrates metal materials only at the eyelets and connection pins where high strength is locally required for load bearing, while the majority of the shackle (the bow) is made from lightweight fiber rope, optimizing both handling ease and load capacity
Data Source
AI summary
A light weight load bearing shackle that includes a bow that is made of a synthetic fiber rope (e.g., polypropylene, nylon, polyester, polyethylene, Aramid, acrylic, mixtures of several fibers, co-polymer fibers). The fibers making up the rope may be straight, braided and/or twisted. The fiber rope may be contained within a sheathing. The bow includes a hole formed in each leg to receive a connection pin so as to secure the open end of the shackle. The hole may be provided by or reinforced by an eyelet made of a heavy duty material such as steel. The bow may be secured around the eyelet or within the eyelet. As the fiber rope bow is flexible, the bow may include a casing between the legs that the connection pin passes through to maintain the legs a certain distance apart.