Foldable Carriage Structure for Secure Clamping Member Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping devices face challenges with wedge misalignment and falling out during installation and use when holding elongate articles like cables or wire ropes, due to lack of secure holding mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A clamping device with a carriage and urging arrangement, featuring foldable holding portions with hinges, retaining formations, and a spring-based urging mechanism to securely hold and align clamping members within the device, ensuring proper engagement with elongate articles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a carriage is used to hold clamping members, then the clamping members can be installed and held in the clamping device, but the clamping members may become misaligned or fall out during installation and use
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage is divided into a central portion and multiple foldable holding portions, each capable of independently securing a clamping member. This segmentation allows each holding portion to be optimized for secure retention while simplifying the overall structure and installation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding portions are pre-configured in an open position during manufacturing, allowing clamping members to be easily inserted. The holding portions are then folded to the closed position to secure the clamping members before installation in the clamping device, ensuring proper alignment and retention is established in advance.
2Ease of operation
If holding portions are made foldable to facilitate installation, then clamping members can be easily installed, but the holding portions may not securely retain clamping members during use
Solution Approach 1:
The holding portions are designed to be dynamically changeable between an open position for easy installation and a closed position for secure retention. This dynamic capability allows the structure to adapt to different operational requirements, providing both ease of installation and reliable retention during use.
Solution Approach 2:
Hinges connect the holding portions to the central portion of the carriage, serving as intermediary elements that enable the foldable motion. These hinges facilitate the transition between open and closed positions while maintaining structural integrity and secure retention of clamping members.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple holding portions are provided on the carriage, then multiple clamping members can be held simultaneously, but the carriage becomes more complex and difficult to install
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage design with multiple identical holding portions allows a single component to perform multiple functions - holding several clamping members simultaneously. This multi-functionality increases the quantity of clamping members that can be installed while avoiding the need for multiple separate carriage components, thereby reducing overall installation complexity.
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 secure installation and operation of clamping members, preventing misalignment and falling, and effectively clamps elongate articles by pushing clamping members into engagement using the spring-urged carriage mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
the urging arrangement comprises a spring member and a reaction member to apply a reaction force to the spring member
Implementation Method 2
The holding portions are attached to the central portion by respective hinges. Each hinge may comprise a flexure bearing. Each hinge may comprise a living hinge.
Implementation Method 3
The retaining formations of each holding portion may further include a resilient element to engage the clamping member and press the clamping member onto the hook formation.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A carriage (10) for holding a clamping member (14) in a clamping device (12), the carriage (10) comprising a central portion (24) and at least one holding portion (26) for holding the clamping member (14), wherein the, or each, holding portion (26) is foldable relative to the central portion (24) between an open position of the, or each, holding portion (26) and a closed position of the, or each, holding portion (26).