Hinged Line Clamp Assembly for Fastening Reliability and Easy Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clamps for fastening power cables, pipes, and hoses, particularly in wind turbine towers, are cumbersome due to their numerous components, making assembly difficult and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A simplified apparatus with fewer components, featuring articulated clamp parts connected by a hinge, with clamping blocks and a clamping closure system that allows for easy adjustment and secure fixation of lines, utilizing a combination of metal and elastomer materials to ensure reliable holding and prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional clamps with multiple components are used, then reliable fastening of lines is achieved, but the number of components increases and assembly becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple fastening components into a single integrated clamp body made of elastomeric material. The clamp body integrates the clamping function, positioning features, and fastening mechanism into one piece, eliminating the need for separate metal components and reducing assembly steps while maintaining reliable fastening of lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric clamp body performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides clamping force, positions the line, absorbs misalignment, and integrates the fastening mechanism. This multi-functional design replaces several specialized components with a single versatile element, simplifying the overall assembly.
2Reliability
If conventional clamps with multiple components are used, then fastening function is achieved, but assembly efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple components into one integrated elastomeric clamp body, the assembly process is simplified from installing multiple separate parts to installing a single component. This dramatically improves assembly efficiency while maintaining the fastening function through the elastomeric material's inherent properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric clamp body utilizes its own material properties (elasticity, flexibility) to achieve proper positioning and fastening without requiring additional adjustment components or complex assembly procedures. The material self-adjusts to accommodate line variations, reducing assembly complexity and improving productivity.
3Ease of operation
If elastomer material is used for clamp body, then ease of installation and repositioning is improved, but maintaining holding force over time becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects specific elastomeric materials with optimized physical parameters (durometer hardness, tensile strength, elasticity) to balance ease of installation with long-term holding force. The material parameters are chosen to provide sufficient initial clamping force for easy installation while maintaining adequate holding force over the service life despite elastomer hardening.
Solution Approach 2:
The design anticipates elastomer hardening over time and compensates for it by initial over-prestressing the clamp body or selecting materials with appropriate initial elasticity. This beforehand cushioning ensures that even as the elastomer hardens, the clamp maintains sufficient holding force throughout its service life.
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 apparatus enables efficient installation and secure fixation of lines with reduced component complexity, allowing for easy repositioning and maintaining holding force even with elastomer materials, thus simplifying production and installation while preventing line damage.
Implementation Method 1
two clamp parts (1, 2) that are connected with one another in an articulated manner, by way of at least one hinge (3)
Implementation Method 2
the threaded spindle is pre-stressed against the clamping bracket by way of spring elements, which particularly preferably comprise plate springs and/or helical springs
Implementation Method 3
spring elements, which particularly preferably comprise plate springs and/or helical springs
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for fastening lines, in particular power cables, pipes or hoses, includes at least two interconnectible fastening parts which form a feedthrough when assembled. The fastening parts include two clamp parts which are hinged together via at least one hinge and which each receive at least one clamping block having a groove in its outer lateral surface, in which groove a portion of a clamp part is positioned, and which clamping block has, on its inner face opposite the groove, a channel, which has the shape of a cylinder-barrel portion and extends axially at a right angle to the groove, for receiving a line. A fastener is arranged at the end of a clamp part opposite the hinged connection, the fastener hook of which fastener can be brought into engagement with a mating fastener hook arranged at the end of the other clamp part opposite the hinged connection.