Hydraulic Hose Crimp Pressure Feedback for Accurate Fitting Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hydraulic hose crimping accuracy is often compromised due to factors like spring back, wear and tear, and manufacturing tolerances, leading to inefficiencies in the crimping process and potential quality issues in hydraulic hose assemblies.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a crimping system that uses pressure feedback data to iteratively adjust crimping settings and detect anomalies, incorporating algorithms to ensure high accuracy and notify operators of potential quality issues, thereby reducing rework and improving manufacturing consistency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional crimping methods are used without feedback control, then the crimping process is simple and fast, but the crimping accuracy deteriorates due to spring back, wear and tear, and manufacturing tolerances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrimping accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback control system that monitors crimping pressure in real-time and compares it against expected parameters. The system uses pressure sensors to detect actual crimping forces and feeds this information back to the control algorithm, which then adjusts crimping parameters to compensate for spring back, wear and tear, and manufacturing tolerances, thereby maintaining high crimping accuracy without requiring overly complex mechanical structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical measurement and adjustment methods with a digital control system that uses pressure sensors, data processing algorithms, and automated feedback loops. This substitution of mechanical systems with electronic and software-based solutions improves crimping accuracy while keeping the overall system complexity manageable through intelligent control rather than mechanical complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple iterations of crimping adjustments are performed to achieve accuracy, then crimping accuracy improves, but production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrimping accuracyVSAvoidproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary analysis of crimping parameters and expected pressure ranges before the actual crimping process. The control algorithm pre-calculates optimal crimping settings based on stored data from previous operations and material characteristics, allowing the system to achieve accurate crimps in fewer iterations and reduce overall production time while maintaining high precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The real-time pressure feedback mechanism allows the system to detect crimping quality during the process itself rather than requiring multiple post-crimp inspection and re-crimping cycles. The feedback loop enables single-pass or minimal-iteration crimping by continuously monitoring pressure and making real-time adjustments, thereby improving both accuracy and production speed simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If crimping pressure is increased to compensate for spring back and wear, then crimping accuracy improves, but the risk of over-crimping and quality defects increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrimping accuracyVSAvoidover-crimping damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a feedback control system that continuously monitors actual crimping pressure and compares it against dynamic target values. The control algorithm adjusts the applied pressure in real-time based on feedback from pressure sensors, ensuring that sufficient force is applied to compensate for spring back and wear without exceeding the maximum safe pressure that could cause over-crimping or material damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically changes crimping pressure parameters based on real-time conditions and feedback data. Rather than using a fixed high pressure to account for all potential variations, the system adjusts pressure parameters adaptively during the crimping process, increasing pressure only when and where needed to compensate for spring back and wear while preventing excessive pressure that would cause damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Measurement precision

If manual inspection and measurement of crimps are performed, then quality detection accuracy improves, but time consumption and labor requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality detection accuracyVSAvoidinspection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automated in-process measurement and feedback systems that continuously monitor crimping pressure and compare it against expected parameters during the crimping process itself. This real-time automated detection eliminates the need for separate manual inspection steps, providing both high measurement precision and rapid quality assessment without increasing production time or labor requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual visual inspection and physical measurement methods with automated sensor-based detection systems. Pressure sensors, data acquisition systems, and control algorithms automatically measure and evaluate crimping quality in real-time, providing accurate quality detection instantaneously without the time consumption and subjectivity associated with manual inspection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11660655B2Hydraulic crimp pressure feedback methods
Publication Date: 2023.05.30 CONTITECH USA INC
  • US11660655B2 patent drawing
  • US11660655B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A crimping system for crimping fittings on hoses is disclosed and include an interface and a crimper machine. The crimper machine is configured to analyze collected information based on identified hose and fitting properties; perform a crimping operation based on the collected information and the identified hose and fitting properties; measure crimping characteristics for the crimping operation; generate an alert based on the measured crimping characteristics and the collected information; and provide the alert to the interface.