Hose Remaining Life Prediction via Non-Destructive Bending Test
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for predicting the remaining life or diagnosing the deterioration level of hoses with a rubber layer require breaking the hose or involve increased costs and steps, making them inconvenient and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A hose bending test method that measures the external force or displacement required to cause bending deformation in a hose with a metal wire and inner tube rubber layer, allowing for prediction and diagnosis without breaking the hose, by comparing test results with those from a similar hose in a known use limit state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a part of the rubber layer is cut out to measure physical properties, then the deterioration level can be diagnosed, but the hose must be broken and use is suspended
Solution Approach 1:
A rubber body for confirming deterioration is introduced as an intermediary component. This rubber body is attached to the base cap and made of the same material as the inner rubber layer, allowing it to reflect the deterioration state of the actual hose without requiring damage to the hose itself. The intermediary transfers the deterioration information from the inaccessible inner rubber layer to the observable rubber body.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber body serves as a copy or replica of the inner rubber layer material and deterioration characteristics. By observing the rubber body's deterioration state (which mirrors the inner rubber layer), one can diagnose the hose's condition without directly measuring the inner rubber layer. This copying approach enables non-invasive diagnosis.
2Reliability
If a rubber body for confirming deterioration is attached to the base cap, then deterioration can be detected, but costs and number of steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber body attached to the base cap serves multiple functions: it acts as a deterioration indicator, a material reference sample, and a visual inspection target. This single component performs what would otherwise require multiple separate systems (deterioration sensing, material comparison, and observation mechanisms), thereby reducing overall system complexity despite adding one component.
3Loss of time
If the hose is broken to measure physical properties, then immediate results can be obtained, but hose use is suspended and convenience decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber body is prepared and attached to the base cap in advance, during manufacturing or initial setup. This preliminary action ensures that the deterioration indicator is already in place before the hose enters service, eliminating the need for future disassembly or damage to perform diagnostics. The preparation is done once, enabling repeated non-invasive measurements throughout the hose's 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
Enables easy and accurate prediction and diagnosis of hose remaining life and deterioration level without breaking the hose, improving convenience and reducing costs by clearly differentiating test results based on deterioration levels.
Implementation Method 1
an external force is exerted on a predetermined hose portion of a hose subject to testing to cause bending deformation in the hose portion
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for predicting the remaining life of a hose and a method for diagnosing the deterioration level of a hose that can be easily performed without breaking the hose. The disclosure includes: a testing step of performing a hose bending test; and a predicting step of predicting the remaining life of a hose subject to prediction, wherein during the hose bending test, either a value of an external force required to displace a hose portion in a direction of the external force by a predetermined displacement amount, or a value of a displacement amount in a direction of the external force of the hose portion when the external force of a predetermined magnitude is exerted on the hose portion is measured, and the measured value is obtained as the test result.