Lockable Pipe Shield Assembly for Vibration-Stable Pipe Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe support assemblies face issues with pipe shields slipping during expansion, contraction, and vibrations, which can damage insulation and pipes, and existing restraint features are load-bearing and prone to causing damage.
Innovation Solution
A lockable pipe shield with bendable lock tabs that secure to the pipe hanger, preventing lateral movement and distributing load without damaging insulation or pipes, by bending around the hanger arm edges to lock into place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If restraint features are added to the bottom of the pipe shield to reduce slipping, then the pipe shield stability improves, but the insulation and pipe are damaged due to load-bearing constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint feature is extracted from the load-bearing bottom surface of the pipe shield and relocated to the non-load-bearing upper edge. This separation allows the restraint feature to provide stability without interfering with the insulation and pipe support function of the bottom surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint feature acts as an intermediary element that connects the pipe shield to the hanger arm through mechanical engagement (e.g., tabs, clips, or interlocking structures) at the upper edge, providing stability through lateral restraint rather than bottom surface friction.
2Reliability
If the pipe shield is designed to be secure against slipping, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases due to additional restraint mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint feature is merged with the upper edge structure of the pipe shield, utilizing the same material and forming process. The restraint feature may be an integrated tab or clip that is formed as part of the pipe shield body, eliminating the need for separate restraint components.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint feature is designed to be self-installing and self-locking, where the pipe shield's own structure (e.g., bent tabs, spring-loaded clips, or snap-fit elements) automatically engages with the hanger arm during installation, providing secure restraint without requiring additional fasteners or complex assembly procedures.
3Ease of operation
If lock tabs are made bendable for easy installation, then ease of operation improves, but structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock tab is segmented into distinct zones: a flexible mounting portion that allows bending during installation, and a rigid engagement portion that provides strong mechanical interlocking with the hanger arm. This segmentation allows different parts of the same component to have different mechanical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the lock tab are optimized through parameter changes, such as selecting materials with appropriate yield strength and elasticity, or varying the thickness and geometry of different tab sections. The tab may be designed with a bent geometry that provides spring-back force for secure engagement while maintaining ease of installation.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a lockable pipe shield for a pipe support assembly, a pipe support assembly, and a method of securing a lockable pipe shield to a pipe hanger. Example aspects of the lockable pipe shield for a pipe support assembly can comprise a substantially semi-cylindrical shield body defining a first shield end, a second shield end opposite the first shield end, and an upper shield edge; and a lock tab coupled to the shield body at the upper shield edge, the lock tab bendable relative to the shield body between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the lockable pipe shield is in an unlocked configuration, and in the second position, the lockable pipe shield is in a locked configuration.