Hot-Stickable Guard Retainer for Wind-Resistant Support Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guards for energized electrical components fail to securely remain coupled to their supports during extreme environmental conditions, such as high winds, leading to potential decoupling and wildlife access to dangerous areas.
Innovation Solution
A barrier system with a retainer mechanism that includes a barrier and a retainer, featuring grooves and channels, secures the guard to a support using a ratcheting mechanism to prevent decoupling by aligning projections with slots, ensuring the guard remains attached even under centrifugal forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the guard is designed with a simple hot stick application method, then the ease of installation is improved, but the reliability of the guard remaining coupled to the support deteriorates under extreme environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The guard is divided into a body portion and a retainer portion that can be installed separately. The body is first installed around the support using hot stick application, then the retainer is independently installed to secure the pathway closed. This segmentation allows simple installation while ensuring reliable coupling under extreme conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pathway is pre-formed in the guard body during manufacturing, and the retainer is pre-configured with projections that align with slots in the pathway. This preliminary preparation enables quick installation while ensuring the retainer properly secures the pathway without requiring complex field adjustments.
2Device complexity
If the pathway is secured closed with a common fastener, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of preventing decoupling deteriorates due to flexing and overtightening issues
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer features a self-securing mechanism where projections automatically engage with slots in the pathway when the retainer is installed. The elastic material of the retainer body provides self-adjusting tension that secures the pathway without requiring external fasteners or tools, eliminating the problems of flexing and overtightening associated with common fasteners.
3Ease of operation
If the guard body is flexed to fit around the support and overtightened with a fastener, then the ease of installation is improved, but the strength of the guard deteriorates due to fracture risk
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is made of elastic material that can temporarily change its dimensional parameters to fit around the support and pathway. The elastic properties allow the retainer to stretch during installation and then return to its original shape, providing secure retention without subjecting the guard body to damaging flexing or overtightening forces.
4Device complexity
If the pathway is simply closed to limit guard disconnection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the guard may still decouple under centrifugal force
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer and pathway features asymmetric geometries with projections on the retainer that align with and engage into slots in the pathway. This asymmetric design creates a mechanical interlock that prevents the pathway from opening under centrifugal force, while maintaining relatively simple construction without requiring complex fastening mechanisms.
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 system effectively maintains the guard's attachment to the support, preventing decoupling and ensuring wildlife safety and system integrity by resisting centrifugal forces in adverse weather conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The retainer body can extend across the channel and limit movement of the support through the channel
Implementation Method 2
A barrier system with a retainer mechanism that includes a barrier and a retainer, featuring grooves and channels, secures the guard to a support using a ratcheting mechanism to prevent decoupling by aligning projections with slots
Implementation Method 3
The guard may be capable of resisting the centrifugal force (e.g., via a frictional force)
Data Source
AI summary
The barrier system includes a barrier and a retainer. The barrier includes a body with an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter forming an aperture configured to receive a support. A first groove extends at least partially between the outer perimeter and the inner perimeter. A second groove extends at least partially between the outer perimeter and the inner perimeter. The second groove is spaced apart from the first groove. A channel extends through the body between the outer perimeter and the inner perimeter. The channel is disposed between the first groove and the second groove. The retainer includes a retainer body having a first projection and a second projection. The first projection can be received in the first groove and the second projection can be received in the second groove. The retainer body can extend across the channel and limit movement of the support through the channel