Fire Hose Coupling Interface for Handles, Sensors, and Directional Aids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire hose couplings and adapters primarily serve to connect hoses, lacking functionality to accommodate auxiliary devices for firefighter safety and operational enhancements, such as directional indicators, sensors, and handles, which are essential in firefighting environments.
Innovation Solution
Fire hose couplings and adapters with an annular ring design that incorporates dovetail-shaped lugs and configurations for receiving various attachments, including handles, sensors, and directional indicia, enabling enhanced safety and operational capabilities like ease of manipulation and hazard indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fire hose couplings are designed with simple interconnection functionality only, then the coupling structure remains simple and easy to manufacture, but the coupling cannot accommodate auxiliary devices for firefighter safety and operational enhancements
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling is designed with a universal interface system comprising an outer circumferential surface with specific geometries (flat portions, curved portions, ridges, grooves) that can accommodate multiple types of auxiliary devices including handles, sensors, directional indicators, and safety equipment. This multi-functional design allows a single coupling component to serve both its primary connection function and host various auxiliary implements.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling structure is segmented into distinct functional zones on the outer circumferential surface, with specific regions designated for different types of attachments. The outer surface includes flat portions for planar attachments, curved portions for cylindrical attachments, ridges for structural support, and grooves for sensor integration, allowing each zone to serve its specific purpose while maintaining overall coupling integrity.
2Reliability
If fire hose couplings incorporate multiple auxiliary devices and attachments, then firefighter safety and operational capabilities are enhanced, but the coupling structure becomes more complex and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple auxiliary device interfaces and attachment mechanisms are merged into a single integrated coupling component. The outer circumferential surface incorporates various geometries (flat portions, curved portions, ridges, grooves) that can simultaneously or separately accommodate different auxiliary devices, eliminating the need for separate mounting structures and simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate various auxiliary devices through its standardized outer surface geometries. This universality allows the same coupling structure to support handles, sensors, indicators, and safety equipment without requiring device-specific coupling variations, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while enhancing operational reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fire hose couplings are designed with standard simple geometry, then manufacturing is easy and cost-effective, but the couplings lack configurations for receiving handles, sensors, and other auxiliary implements
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling's outer circumferential surface features local quality variations with specific geometries (flat portions for planar attachments, curved portions for cylindrical attachments, ridges for structural support, grooves for sensor integration) positioned at specific locations to accommodate different auxiliary implements while maintaining overall geometric simplicity for easy manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling design incorporates dimensional variations on the outer circumferential surface, adding radial features (ridges, grooves, flat and curved portions) to the basic cylindrical form. These dimensional additions provide multiple attachment interfaces without significantly increasing the overall coupling complexity, allowing auxiliary devices to be mounted in different orientations and positions.
Data Source
AI summary
Fire hose couplings and adapters are configured to receive, by any of various types of interconnections, a wide range of attachments enhancing the utility of the associated fire hose. The attachments are secured to the coupler or adapter by way of an appropriate locking engagement, such as by a dovetail connector, setscrews, chemical attachment, adhesives and the like. The attachments cover a broad range of handles, reflective and directional devices, analog and digital sensors/monitors/indicators, and carabiners, and both threaded and unthreaded studs adapted for appropriate receipt of any of a broad range of attachments or uses.