Line Retainer Bearing Structure to Prevent Hinge Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing retaining devices for lines, such as pipes and electrical cables, often experience separation under high mechanical loading due to hinge failures or inadequate locking mechanisms, leading to instability and potential damage during transportation and operation.
Innovation Solution
A retaining device with an accommodating part and a closing part connected via rotatable bearing portions that form through-openings enclosed by bearing-portion walls, providing a secure, non-releasable connection that prevents separation and allows for easy assembly and disassembly, with optional latching elements for additional security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hinge-like articulation or living hinge is used to connect upper and lower parts, then the device can be assembled and disassembled easily, but the connection becomes unreliable under high mechanical loading
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two separate parts (upper part and lower part) that can be easily assembled and disassembled, while maintaining reliable connection through the segmented bearing portion design with through-opening and bearing-portion wall
Solution Approach 2:
The connection reliability is enhanced by adding a dimensional feature - the bearing-portion wall extending through the through-opening in three dimensions, creating interlocking geometry that prevents separation under load while maintaining ease of assembly
2Reliability
If locking mechanisms are added to prevent separation, then connection reliability improves, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing portion and the connection function are merged into a single integrated structure. The bearing-portion wall and through-opening work together as a unified connection mechanism, eliminating the need for separate locking components while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing portion structure is self-locking through its geometric design. The bearing-portion wall extending through the through-opening creates an inherent mechanical interlock that automatically prevents separation without requiring additional locking mechanisms
3Reliability
If multiple locking mechanisms are implemented, then separation under load is prevented, but manufacturing cost and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection features (bearing portion, through-opening, bearing-portion wall) are merged into the main body structure, allowing simultaneous formation during injection molding or 3-D printing without requiring separate manufacturing steps for locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The structure is designed to be self-forming during the molding process. The bearing-portion wall and through-opening are created as integral features of the injection molding or 3-D printing process, eliminating the need for additional assembly steps or post-processing
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for retaining a line includes an accommodating part (100) having at least one line retaining portion (110) and a bearing portion (120), and also includes a closing part (200) having a bearing portion (220). The closing part (200) is mounted on the bearing portion (120) of the accommodating part (100) such that it can be rotated via its bearing portion (220). The closing part (200) can be adjusted between an open position, in which it frees the at least one retaining portion (110), and a closed position, in which it closes the at least one retaining portion (110). The bearing portion (120) of the accommodating part (100) forms a through-opening (124) enclosed by a bearing-portion wall (122), and the bearing portion (220) of the closing part (200) forms a through-opening (224) enclosed by a bearing-portion wall (222). The bearing-portion wall (122) of the accommodating part (100) engages through the through-opening (224) of the closing part (200), and the bearing-portion wall (222) of the closing part (200) engages through the through-opening (124) of the accommodating part (100).