Flexible Hose Handling Unit With Rotating Member And Abutment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible hoses used in industrial suction systems are difficult to wind and unwind without forming tangles, leading to compression that reduces their effectiveness, especially when only partially unwound, and requires operators to unwind the entire hose for each use.
Innovation Solution
A handling and gathering unit with a rotating member and abutment elements, such as pulleys and rollers, that allows for easy sliding and storage of hoses without the need for drums, enabling partial unwinding and adjusting for different hose sizes and shapes, and using an actuation apparatus for controlled unwinding and winding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the flexible hose is wound around a drum, then space occupation is contained, but the hose becomes compressed and tangled, reducing its effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The hose is divided into multiple loops that can be independently managed on the drum, with each loop maintaining its integrity and avoiding compression of adjacent loops. This segmentation allows the hose to be stored compactly while preserving its functional sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose is arranged in a vertical configuration on the drum rather than horizontal winding, utilizing the vertical dimension to stack loops without compressing them against each other. This dimensional change enables compact storage while maintaining hose effectiveness.
2Reliability
If the entire hose is unwound for use, then full suction effectiveness is achieved, but the operation becomes time-consuming and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
Only the necessary number of loops are unwound from the drum based on the actual work requirements, rather than unwinding the entire hose length. This partial action reduces the time and effort required for setup while providing sufficient hose length for effective operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose is pre-arranged in loops on the drum in advance, so that during operation the required length can be quickly unwound without the need for complex winding or unwinding operations. The preliminary arrangement enables rapid deployment.
3Ease of operation
If correct winding is performed to avoid tangles, then unwinding becomes simple, but considerable attention and skill are required during winding
Solution Approach 1:
The drum design with vertical loop arrangement and guide elements enables the hose to be wound and unwound automatically with minimal operator intervention. The structure itself guides the hose into the correct configuration, eliminating the need for skilled manual winding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide elements and structural features of the drum act as intermediaries that automatically direct the hose into the correct vertical loop configuration during winding, simplifying the operator's task while ensuring proper hose arrangement without requiring special skills.
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
Simplifies the winding and unwinding process, maintains hose effectiveness even when partially unwound, reduces the risk of tangles and deformation, and allows for versatile handling of various hoses, ensuring reliable operation with reduced maintenance and operational inconvenience.
Implementation Method 1
the actuated rotation of which causes, by friction, the sliding of at least one at least partially flexible hose which is interposed between the rotating element and the abutment element
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5
Figure 6
AI summary
A unit for handling and gathering flexible hoses, which comprises a frame (2) that supports at least one rotating member (3), which in turn faces and is proximate to at least one abutment element (4). The actuated rotation of the at least one rotating member (3) causes, by friction, the sliding of at least one at least partially flexible hose (5), which can be interposed between the rotating member (3) and the abutment element (4).