Fire Hose Coupling with Recessed Visuotactile Directional Indicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Firefighters operating in dark and smoke-filled environments face challenges in determining the direction to safety due to poor visibility, as existing fire hose couplings either require additional assembly components, are prone to snagging, or have indicators that wear off or become illegible over time.
Innovation Solution
A fire hose coupling with a recessed, visuotactile directional indicator, featuring a light-reflecting surface made of super reflective or photo luminescent materials, integrated into the coupling's annular body to provide both visual and tactile guidance, shaped like an arrow or with engraved words like 'EXIT', which minimizes snagging and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If additional components (bands, clamps, collars) are added to indicate direction, then directional indication is improved, but assembly time increases and risk of snagging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The directional indicator is merged with the coupling body itself, forming an integrated structure where the indicator is a molded feature of the coupling rather than a separate component. This eliminates the need for additional assembly steps while maintaining clear directional indication through visual and tactile cues.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling body serves multiple functions: it provides the mechanical connection between hoses and simultaneously provides directional indication through its molded features. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate directional indicator components.
2Loss of information
If additional components (bands, clamps, collars) are added to indicate direction, then directional indication is improved, but risk of snagging on objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The directional indicator is merged with the coupling body itself, forming an integrated structure where the indicator is a molded feature of the coupling rather than a separate component. This eliminates the need for additional assembly steps while maintaining clear directional indication through visual and tactile cues.
3Loss of information
If external bands and clamps are used for directional indication, then directional indication is improved, but reliability decreases due to sliding and becoming unreachable
Solution Approach 1:
The directional indicator is merged with the coupling body itself, forming an integrated structure where the indicator is a molded feature of the coupling rather than a separate component. This eliminates the need for additional assembly steps while maintaining clear directional indication through visual and tactile cues.
4Ease of operation
If tactile extensions are used for directional indication, then directional indication is improved, but visibility is reduced in poor lighting conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling body features locally differentiated surfaces with varying reflectivity - highly reflective portions that stand out against the darker background of the coupling body. This creates visual contrast that enhances visibility in low-light conditions while maintaining tactile distinguishability through surface texture variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling body incorporates portions with different light-reflecting properties, creating visual contrast through reflectivity variations rather than pigment color. The highly reflective portions appear brighter and more visible in low-light conditions, providing clear directional indication.
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 coupling effectively guides firefighters through poor visibility conditions by providing a durable and snag-resistant directional indicator that remains visible and tactile, ensuring safe navigation in emergency situations.
Implementation Method 1
The recessed portion of the coupling may contain a light-reflecting surface to enhance visibility
Implementation Method 2
a light-reflecting surface made of super reflective or photo luminescent materials
Data Source
AI summary
A fire hose coupling comprises a body having a first end connected to a fire hose and a second end having either male or female threads or, alternatively, a quarter-turn sexless coupler. The fire hose coupling comprises a recessed portion formed in an outer surface of the body. The recessed portion is shaped to define a visuotactile directional indicator such as an arrow. The recessed portion may include a light-reflecting surface to enhance visibility such as a super reflective metal film, a photo luminescent coating, or a phosfluorescent coating. The recessed directional indicator may be formed in female, male or sexless (Storz) couplings.