Multijoint Cable Guide with Segmented Resin Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable protection and guide devices for mobile machines face issues with unstable flexion radius, material fatigue, difficulty in cutting and connecting, and inefficient mass production due to the use of stainless steel and leaf springs, leading to damage and increased operational instability.
Innovation Solution
A multijoint cable protection and guide device featuring a flexible belt member with center and side tubular portions, multijoint supporting members composed of block bodies connected via concave-convex snap-fittings, and made from synthetic resin materials, including glass fiber-reinforced polyamide 66 resin, allowing for easy cutting, connection, and installation in confined spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If stainless steel members or leaf springs are used as flexible members in the supporting member, then the supporting member has sufficient strength and rigidity, but the flexion radius becomes unstable and too large when bent, making it difficult to arrange within predetermined space
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is divided into multiple rigid blocks connected by flexible joints. Each block maintains structural integrity while the joints between blocks provide controlled flexibility, enabling the supporting member to bend into compact configurations with a smaller effective flexion radius while preserving overall strength and rigidity.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If stainless steel members are used as flexible members, then the supporting member has sufficient durability, but the flexible member may break down and become useless from fatigue when used for a long period time
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is segmented into rigid blocks connected by flexible joints. The rigid blocks can be manufactured from durable materials resistant to fatigue, while the flexible joints are designed as separate replaceable components. This segmentation allows the main structural elements to avoid cyclic bending stresses that cause fatigue, thereby extending service life and improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible joints are designed as consumable components that can be replaced when worn or damaged. By isolating the fatigue-prone elements to replaceable joints rather than the entire supporting member, the system allows for easy maintenance and extension of overall service life through component replacement rather than complete replacement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If stainless steel members or leaf springs are used as flexible members, then the supporting member has sufficient flexibility, but the supporting member cannot be easily cut and connected, preventing replacement with new and different members to prolong service life
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is divided into discrete rigid blocks with standardized flexible joints. The rigid blocks can be manufactured from easy-to-work materials and connected through simple joint mechanisms that allow for easy assembly, disassembly, and replacement. This segmentation enables the supporting member to be customized, extended, or repaired by replacing individual blocks or joints without requiring complex cutting or joining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible joints are designed with universal connection features that can accommodate different block configurations and orientations. This universality allows the supporting member to be easily reconfigured, extended, or repaired using standardized components, improving ease of repair and adaptability while maintaining flexibility.
4Ease of manufacture
If pieces of the cable protection and guide device are made of resin by injection-molding one at a time in connection with the stainless steel member or leaf spring, then the device can be manufactured, but the process requires a lot of time and labor and makes mass production difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into modular components (rigid blocks and flexible joints) that can be manufactured separately using efficient processes. The rigid blocks can be injection-molded in large batches, and the flexible joints can be produced using high-speed molding techniques. This segmentation eliminates the need for time-consuming assembly of custom-fit components, enabling parallel production and significantly improving mass production efficiency while maintaining manufacturing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a multijoint cable protection and guide device that steadily protects and guides cables and the like that assume flexed and straight postures. The device includes a flexible belt member in which a plurality of center tubular portions through which cables are inserted and a pair of right and left side tubular portions disposed in parallel along the center tubular portions. The center tubular portions and the pair of right and left side tubular portions are integrally molded. A pair of right and left multijoint supporting members is inserted through side tubular portions of the flexible belt member. The multijoint supporting member is composed of a large number of block bodies that are flexibly connected together by concave-convex fittings.