Foldable Tube Clamp Collar for Large-Diameter Pre-Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping systems face challenges in ensuring reliable pre-mounting and clamping of tubes with large diameters, particularly due to issues with the modulus of elasticity of pre-mounting tabs, which can lead to difficulties in achieving the desired elastic deformation and high engagement thrust forces.
Innovation Solution
A clamping system featuring a collar with angularly distributed foldable fingers that can be manually folded towards the axis to create a smaller diameter, allowing for secure pre-mounting and clamping of tubes, while maintaining sufficient springiness to prevent easy disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the modulus of elasticity of pre-mounting tabs is increased to ensure reliable retention, then the retention reliability is improved, but the engagement thrust force becomes excessively high and difficult to achieve during final assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-mounting tabs are designed to be elastically deformable, allowing them to dynamically adapt their stiffness characteristics. During engagement, the tabs deform elastically to reduce the thrust force required, and after engagement, they return to their original position to provide reliable retention through elastic recovery
Solution Approach 2:
The modulus of elasticity of the pre-mounting tabs is specifically optimized to balance two opposing requirements: it must be high enough to provide sufficient elastic recovery for reliable retention, but not so high that it requires excessive engagement thrust force. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between retention reliability and engagement force
2Strength
If the modulus of elasticity of pre-mounting tabs is increased to maintain springiness against disengagement, then the resistance to disengagement is improved, but the ability to achieve desired elastic deformation during engagement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The modulus of elasticity is optimized to a specific range that allows sufficient elastic deformation during engagement while maintaining adequate springiness to resist disengagement. This parameter optimization enables the tabs to be both deformable during assembly and resilient during service
3Adaptability or versatility
If pre-mounting tabs are designed for large diameter collars, then the adaptability to large diameters is improved, but the range of elastic deformation becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The modulus of elasticity is specifically optimized for large diameter collars to ensure that even with the larger lever arm and reduced curvature, the tabs can still achieve sufficient elastic deformation. The optimized modulus compensates for the geometric challenges of large diameters while maintaining the necessary deformation range
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 system effectively retains tubes of various diameters by allowing manual deformation of foldable fingers, ensuring reliable pre-mounting and clamping without excessive force requirements, thus addressing the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
the fingers being suitable, starting from an initial position in which they define a rest minimum diameter, for being folded manually and plastically towards the axis of the belt in order to define a folded-in minimum diameter
Data Source
AI summary
The clamping system comprises a collar that comprises a belt suitable for being clamped around clamping surfaces projecting from tubes. The collar carries a series of angularly distributed foldable fingers, each finger presenting a free operating end projecting axially beyond the first edge of the belt over a distance that is sufficient to enable it to be manipulated by hand. Starting from an initial position in which the fingers define a rest minimum diameter, the fingers are suitable for being folded manually and plastically towards the axis of the belt in order to define a folded-in minimum diameter that is less than said rest minimum diameter.