Hydraulic Hose Coupling Element for Industrial Truck Mast

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing attachment methods for hydraulic hoses in industrial truck lift masts are complex, prone to leakage, and can lead to hose rupture or instability due to the stiffness of the hoses and high pressure differences, making simple attachments difficult to achieve while ensuring safety.

Innovation Solution

A simplified pretension mounting system with a coupling element featuring protrusions and a waist for secure attachment, allowing mobility between the hose unit and connecting element, and a closing element like a detachable clamp to prevent movement and leakage, using a press casing and ribs for sealing and retention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If hydraulic hoses are attached with multiple WEO-couplings and middle elements, then the hose is securely immobilized at the attachment point, but the attachment arrangement becomes complicated with many components and increased leakage points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehose securityVSAvoidattachment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple attachment functions into a single integrated clamp structure that secures the hydraulic hose at the attachment point. The clamp replaces the complex arrangement of WEO-couplings and middle elements with one unified component that provides both securing and positioning functions, thereby reducing the number of parts and potential leakage points while maintaining hose security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The clamp is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs multiple tasks: securing the hydraulic hose, providing attachment to the mast, and enabling the hose to follow fork motions. This universal design eliminates the need for separate specialized components for each function, simplifying the overall attachment arrangement while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Strength

If hydraulic hoses are made stiff with thick armoured walls to withstand high pressures, then the hose can handle high pressure differences, but the hose becomes difficult to attach and requires complex attachment arrangements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure resistanceVSAvoidattachment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp design incorporates dynamic elements that allow the rigid hydraulic hose to accommodate movements. The clamp can adjust and follow the fork motions while maintaining secure attachment, effectively transferring the flexibility requirement from the hose itself to the attachment mechanism. This allows the hose to remain stiff for pressure resistance while being easy to attach and adapt to movements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If simple attachment arrangements are used, then the mounting process is simplified, but the hydraulic hose may become loose and cause rupture or truck instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment simplicityVSAvoidhose security
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp is pre-configured with the correct geometry and securing features to automatically maintain proper hose tension and positioning upon installation. The preliminary design of the clamp structure ensures that once installed, it inherently prevents hose loosening without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or multiple components, thus achieving both simplicity and security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2578915B1Device and method for attaching a hydraulic hose for an industrial truck
Publication Date: 2016.11.23 TOYOTA MATERIAL HANDLING MFG SWEDEN
  • EP2578915B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2578915B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP2578915B1 patent drawingFigure 4a

AI summary

A hydraulic hose device (1) for a lift mast (50) for an industrial truck, which comprises a first hydraulic hose section (30), a second hydraulic hose section (40), a coupling element (2) to unite said first and second hydraulic hose section (30, 40), wherein said coupling element (2) is arranged such that it can seal the first hydraulic hose section (30) and the second hydraulic hose section (40) and that it simultaneously unites these parts to a hydraulic hose unit, wherein said coupling element (2) comprises an indentation (8) in which a connecting element (10) can connect at least in a partly mobile manner, wherein the connecting element (10) is attached to a lift mast (50) of an industrial truck, wherein at connecting between the coupling element (2) and the connecting element (10), the hydraulic hose is attached to the lift mast (50) such that force components in the longitudinal direction of the mast can be received by the hydraulic hose device (1).