Removable Heating Element in a Flexible Asphalt Hose Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heated hoses used in asphalt pavement repair machines often fail due to temperature drops, leading to clogging and requiring significant time and effort for repair or replacement, resulting in downtime and costs.
Innovation Solution
A flexible exterior cylindrical insulated hose with a coaxial flexible metal sheath and an elongated heating element deployed inside the air chamber, allowing for easy removal and replacement of the heating element without disconnecting the hose.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heated hose with a heating element is used to maintain asphalt temperature, then the asphalt remains hot during transport, but the heating element may fail due to constant bending and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The hose is divided into modular sections with flexible couplings between them. This segmentation allows each section to be independently replaced if the heating element fails, rather than replacing the entire hose assembly. The modular design maintains temperature control reliability while improving ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is concentrated in specific high-risk zones where temperature maintenance is most critical, such as near the pump and at strategic intervals along the hose. This localized heating approach reduces the overall length of heating elements exposed to bending stresses while maintaining effective temperature control where needed most.
2Temperature
If the heating element is embedded in the hose construction, then heating is effective, but repair becomes impracticable or cost prohibitive
Solution Approach 1:
The hose assembly is segmented into modular sections with standardized couplings. The heating element is contained within removable cartridges or sections that can be independently accessed and replaced. This modular architecture makes repair practical by allowing technicians to replace only the failed heating element cartridge rather than the entire hose.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is nested within a removable inner cartridge that fits inside the hose assembly. This nested structure allows the heating element cartridge to be extracted and replaced without removing the outer hose or disassembling the entire assembly, making field repair practical and cost-effective.
3Ease of operation
If the hose is made flexible for handling, then it can be maneuvered easily, but the heating element may fail due to constant bending
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible hose is divided into multiple short sections connected by rigid or semi-rigid couplings. This segmentation allows the hose to be maneuverable at the connections while protecting the heating elements within each section from excessive bending stresses. The couplings act as flexible joints that absorb bending forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose has varying flexibility along its length, with more flexible sections at the ends for maneuverability and stiffer sections in the middle where heating elements are located. This gradient in flexibility maintains ease of operation while protecting heating elements from bending damage.
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 solution ensures continuous heating of asphalt throughout the hose, preventing clogging and allowing for quick field servicing of the heating element, thereby reducing downtime and costs.
Implementation Method 1
Hot asphalt compound flowing through the hose between the inner cylindrical surface of the hose and the flexible metal sheath is kept hot by the conduction of heat from the heating element to the flexible metal sheath
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an improved heated hose for use with asphalt pavement repair machines that includes a flexible exterior cylindrical insulated hose portion with an inner cylindrical surface defining an inner cylindrical region, and a flexible metal sheath deployed coaxially in this region having an exterior surface, the surfaces defining an area through which hot asphalt flows. A heating element may be removably deployed inside and along the length of the coaxial metal sheath. Hot asphalt flowing through the hose between the inner cylindrical surface of the hose and the exterior surface of the coaxial metal sheath is kept hot by the conduction of heat from the heating element inside the flexible metal sheath. One end of the heating element extends to a far end of the inside of the sheath, and the other end of the heating element is accessible from outside of the near end of the hose, making it possible to easily remove and replace the heating element in the event of a failure. A novel connecting block is provided where the hose connects to the heating machine providing a passageway for the sheath that allows for removal and replacement of the heating element, while also providing a passageway that allows hot asphalt to enter into the hose around the sheath.