Disposable Half-Shell Cap for Tube End Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective devices for elongate hollow bodies, such as cylindrical tubes, face issues with adhesive residues, particle generation, mechanical damage, and cleaning requirements during processing steps like welding, due to their attachment methods and materials.
Innovation Solution
A protective device comprising two half-shells with a conical outer contour and a clamping cap, made of high-molecular thermoplastic materials, that encloses the end section of the hollow body without direct material contact, providing secure mechanical protection and easy detachment without generating particles, and can be reused after cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If adhesive foils are used to protect the end of the hollow body, then the end is protected from dirt and damage, but adhesive residues remain after removal requiring additional cleaning steps
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cap is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after a single use. This eliminates the problem of adhesive residues and cleaning requirements, as the cap is simply removed and thrown away rather than reused. The low cost of the disposable cap makes this approach economically viable.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the protective function from reusable systems (like adhesive foils that require cleaning) and implements it through a disposable cap that is taken off and discarded. This separation of the protective function from the need for reuse eliminates the cleaning step entirely.
2Strength
If standard screw connections are used to attach the protective device, then secure mechanical protection is achieved, but particles are generated during application and removal requiring cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cap with integrated attachment means is designed as a disposable component. The attachment means creates sufficient mechanical protection during use, and when removal is needed, the entire cap is discarded rather than removed and reused, eliminating particle generation from repeated attachment and removal cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective device is segmented into the cap body and integrated attachment means. This segmentation allows the attachment mechanism to be designed specifically for secure attachment without requiring separate fastening components that would generate particles during assembly and disassembly.
3Ease of operation
If standard screw connections are used, then the protective device can be detached, but the high weight causes loads on the hollow body during transport due to vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment means uses a lightweight design with optimized geometric parameters that provide sufficient attachment strength while minimizing weight. The attachment mechanism relies on friction and geometric interlocking rather than heavy metallic screws, reducing the weight parameter while maintaining the detachable operation capability.
4Ease of operation
If standard screw connections are used, then the protective device can be attached and removed, but crushing or deformation of the hollow body can occur during application
Solution Approach 1:
The cap and attachment means are designed with flexible characteristics that allow them to conform to the hollow body surface without exerting excessive localized pressure. The flexible design distributes attachment forces over a larger area, preventing crushing or deformation of the hollow body during attachment and removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment means is designed with cushioning features that prevent excessive clamping forces from damaging the hollow body. The attachment mechanism inherently limits the pressure applied to the hollow body surface, providing beforehand protection against crushing or deformation during the attachment process.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The invention relates to a protective device (1) for an elongated hollow body, in particular a cylindrical tube, which is designed to be detachably and non-destructively attached to an end section of the hollow body. The protective device (1) comprises a first half-shell (10) and a second half-shell (20), each having an inner contour (13, 23) that together conforms to an outer shape of the end section of the hollow body, in particular extending in the axial direction of the hollow body, and which, when placed laterally against the end section, abut each other flush and thereby circumferentially enclose the end section of the hollow body. Furthermore, the protective device (1) comprises a cap (30) which, when the first and second half-shells (10, 20) enclose the end section of the hollow body, can be slid over the first and second half-shells (10, 20) in the axial direction of the end section of the hollow body.