Micro Trench Sawing Machine with Integrated Stabilization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machines for sawing micro trenches and placing ducts/cables are inefficient, as they require separate processes and struggle with stabilization and precision, leading to increased costs and time due to the need for multiple machines and manual handling.
Innovation Solution
A machine equipped with a diamond saw blade and a stabilizing device that performs a pendulum movement to stabilize the trench walls immediately behind the saw blade, allowing for simultaneous sawing and placement of ducts/cables with guided channels to maintain order and precision, and is adjustable to accommodate wear and varying terrain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate processes are used for sawing trenches and placing ducts/cables, then each process can be performed with dedicated equipment, but the overall process time and cost increase due to multiple machines and manual handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sawing function and duct/cable placement function into a single integrated machine. The sawing unit cuts the trench while the stabilization device immediately stabilizes the trench walls, and the duct/cable placement unit simultaneously places ducts or cables into the freshly cut trench. This merging of multiple separate processes into one unified machine eliminates the need for multiple machines and manual handling, directly resolving the contradiction by improving productivity while maintaining process stability through coordinated operation of integrated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine performs multiple functions: it saws trenches, stabilizes trench walls, and places both ducts and cables. The placement unit is designed to handle different types of infrastructure elements (ducts and cables) and can switch between them, providing universal functionality. This multi-functionality allows a single machine to replace multiple specialized machines, improving overall installation efficiency without compromising the reliability of each individual function.
2Speed
If the trench is not stabilized immediately after sawing, then the sawing process is simpler and faster, but the trench walls collapse and precision is lost requiring rework
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilization device is positioned immediately behind the saw blade and activates as the trench is being cut. This preliminary stabilization action occurs while the trench is still fresh and the walls are most vulnerable to collapse. By applying stabilization immediately during the sawing process rather than after, the system maintains trench wall stability without slowing down the sawing operation, resolving the contradiction between speed and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilization device acts as an intermediary between the sawing process and the duct/cable placement process. It receives the freshly cut trench from the saw blade and prepares it by stabilizing the walls, creating a stable environment for the subsequent placement operation. This intermediary function ensures precision is maintained without requiring the sawing process to slow down or stop.
3Device complexity
If manual handling is used for placing ducts/cables, then equipment complexity is reduced, but time and labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The duct placement function and cable placement function are merged into a single automated placement unit. This unit can handle both types of infrastructure elements through coordinated movement and positioning mechanisms. The automated system eliminates manual handling by integrating the placement function directly into the machine, reducing placement time while the modular design keeps the overall structure manageable in complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The placement unit is designed to automatically position and place ducts or cables into the stabilized trench without requiring manual intervention. The system feeds ducts or cables from storage and positions them precisely in the trench through automated mechanisms. This self-service capability dramatically reduces placement time and labor requirements while the automated control system manages the complexity of coordination between sawing, stabilization, and placement functions.
4Strength
If the stabilizing device is not adjustable, then the structure is simpler and more robust, but it cannot accommodate wear and varying terrain conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilization device incorporates adjustable elements that allow it to adapt to varying terrain conditions and compensate for wear. The device can be adjusted in position and configuration to maintain effective stabilization across different ground conditions. This dynamic adjustability maintains the robustness of the overall structure while enabling adaptation to different terrains and wear states, resolving the contradiction between strength and versatility.
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 machine significantly reduces costs and time by enabling simultaneous trench sawing and cable placement, maintaining precision and order, and minimizing disruptions by stabilizing the trench immediately after sawing, thus improving efficiency and reducing manual handling.
Implementation Method 1
a diamond saw blade arranged for sawing a micro trench in an area; said area comprising a first layer L1 and a second layer L2
Implementation Method 2
said stabilizing device is arranged to be lowered to and elevated from its operating depth immediately behind said diamond saw blade using a pendulum movement
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a
Figure 3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a machine arranged for sawing micro trenches and placing ducts/cables in micro trenches, said machine comprising a saw blade arranged for sawing a micro trench in an area; said machine further comprising: a stabilizing device arranged for stabilizing the walls of said micro trench when placing ducts/cables into said micro trench, said stabilizing device being positioned immediately behind said saw blade in said micro trench, and said stabilizing device comprising guiding means for guiding at least one duct/cable when placed into said micro trench; said saw blade and said stabilizing device are arranged to be lowered and elevated independently of each other