Graded Rigidity Intermediate Part for Tube Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing channel tube inspection devices face difficulties in navigating bends due to abrupt changes in radial rigidity, leading to poor negotiation of bends, especially in sharp bends and small diameters, as the stiff pushing cable struggles to align with the more flexible head.
Innovation Solution
The channel tube inspection device features an intermediate part with gradually increasing bending rigidity from the inspection head to the pushing cable, ensuring a smooth transition through bends by maintaining continuous radial rigidity without leaps, achieved through a solid plastic part with a diminishing diameter or a helical spring design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a stiff pushing cable is used to push the inspection head through the channel tube, then the pushing cable can provide sufficient pushing force, but it cannot negotiate sharp bends and small diameter curves
Solution Approach 1:
The pushing cable is divided into multiple segments with different bending rigidities along its length. The front section has lower bending rigidity to navigate bends easily, while the rear section has higher bending rigidity to provide sufficient pushing force. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the pushing cable are assigned different local properties - the front section is made more flexible with lower bending rigidity to handle bending operations, while the rear section maintains higher rigidity for force transmission. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between flexibility and strength.
2Ease of operation
If a weak spring is installed between the head and push cable to help negotiate bends, then the head can negotiate bends more easily, but the pushing cable cannot be pushed sufficiently far through the channel tube
Solution Approach 1:
The pushing cable is segmented into multiple sections with progressively increasing bending rigidity from front to rear. This allows the front section to be flexible enough to negotiate bends while the rear section maintains sufficient rigidity to transmit pushing force over long distances through the channel tube.
Solution Approach 2:
The bending rigidity parameter of the pushing cable is varied continuously along its length, creating a gradient from low rigidity at the front to high rigidity at the rear. This parameter change allows the cable to exhibit both flexibility and strength characteristics in different sections.
3Device complexity
If homogeneous elongated parts with different elasticity are used in the inspection device, then the device structure is simple, but the abrupt leaps in radial rigidity prevent smooth negotiation of bends
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate part is designed with continuously varying local properties - the bending rigidity changes gradually along its length rather than remaining homogeneous. This creates a smooth transition zone that eliminates abrupt rigidity leaps and enables smooth negotiation of bends.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate part is designed to dynamically adapt its rigidity characteristics along its length, with the bending rigidity varying continuously to match the requirements of different sections during bend negotiation, transitioning from flexible at the front to rigid at the rear.
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
This design allows for easier navigation of bends by initially using a slack section to guide the inspection head and progressively increasing rigidity to align the pushing cable, ensuring the entire device can smoothly pass through bends without perpendicular pushing, thus overcoming the limitations of abrupt rigidity changes.
Implementation Method 1
The intermediate part (7) has a radial rigidity also referred to as bending rigidity gradually increasing over its length
Data Source
AI summary
A channel tube inspection device 1 includes an inspection head 3, a pushing cable 5 and an elongated intermediate part 7 whose one end 7a is connected to the inspection head and whose other end 7b is connected to the pushing cable. The intermediate part 7 has a radial rigidity or, worded differently, bending rigidity gradually increasing over its length. The bending rigidity of the intermediate part 7 gradually increases from the inspection head 3 to the pushing cable 6. The intermediate part 7 is solid and has a gradually diminishing diameter from the pushing cable 5 to the inspection head 3. The intermediate part 7 is made of plastic, preferably PUR.