Hydraulic Wedge Grip Cable Clips for Material Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In material testing systems using hydraulic grips, the loose ends of installation cables can interfere with access to the test specimen and pose a risk of injury, as they need to be left in place during testing.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of cable clips that attach to the lateral sides of hydraulic grip wedges, securing the cables in a noninterfering position, thereby preventing them from causing access issues or injuries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cables are left in place during testing for wedge retention spring installation, then the retention springs can be properly installed and secured, but the loose cable ends interfere with access to the test specimen and pose injury risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewedge retention spring installationVSAvoidcable interference and injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A cable retention device is introduced as an intermediary component to secure the cable ends. This device acts as a mediator between the cable and the testing environment, preventing the cable from interfering with the test specimen while maintaining its functional role in retaining the wedge retention spring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The cable retention device is installed on the cable ends before the cable is positioned during wedge retention spring installation. This preliminary action ensures that the cable ends are already secured and cannot interfere with subsequent operations or pose injury risks during testing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional cable restraint methods like tape are used, then cable interference is reduced, but excessive tape usage creates waste and additional complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable interferenceVSAvoidtape waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The cable retention device is designed as a simple, inexpensive component that can be easily manufactured and disposed of if necessary. Rather than using consumable materials like tape that create waste, this dedicated device provides reusable, clean cable retention without the environmental burden of excessive tape usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of cable retention from using flexible, consumable materials (tape) to a rigid, reusable mechanical device. This parameter change eliminates the waste associated with tape while providing more reliable and consistent cable restraint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12216093B1Material testing system having improved hydraulic wedge grips

Publication Date: 2025.02.04 THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE

AI summary

A material testing system that uses at least one hydraulic grip is improved with cable clips that are attachable to a respective lateral side of each hydraulic grip wedge. Each cable clip has another end that extends to engage a cable(s) extending from a corresponding wedge retention spring hole. The cable(s) enable manual extension of a wedge retention spring for engagement and disengagement from the hydraulic grip wedge. The cable clip maintains the cable in a noninterfering position during operational use of the material testing system.