Nested Protective Member for Corrugated Tube End Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for protecting the end section of corrugated tubes from crushing and preventing the protective member from falling out result in a large-sized protector, which is inefficient and requires additional space, especially when the length of the corrugated tube varies.
Innovation Solution
A protective member with a tubular section harder than the corrugated tube and an outer peripheral rib is fitted into the end section, which is then inserted into the corrugated tube's inner peripheral annular concave section, preventing the protective member from falling out and maintaining the tube's integrity without increasing the protector's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a hard protective member is applied to the end section of the corrugated tube to prevent crushing, then the protective function is improved, but the protector size becomes larger due to additional fixing structures
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member is nested inside the end section of the corrugated tube, with the outer peripheral rib inserted into the inner peripheral annular concave section. This nesting arrangement allows the protective member to be contained within the existing tube structure without requiring additional external space or increasing the overall protector size.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective member is segmented into a tubular section and an outer peripheral rib structure. The rib is separated as a distinct feature that can be inserted into the concave section, allowing the protective function to be achieved through modular components that fit together within the existing space constraints.
2Reliability
If a fixing structure (tape winding) is added to prevent the protective member from falling out, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member utilizes the existing structural features of the corrugated tube (the inner peripheral annular concave section) to secure itself. The outer peripheral rib of the protective member fits into this pre-existing concave section, creating a self-securing mechanism that eliminates the need for external fixing structures like tape winding.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding external fixing elements to attach the protective member to the tube, the solution inverts the approach by having the protective member's rib fit into the tube's existing concave section. This reverses the traditional attachment paradigm and achieves securing through complementary geometric features rather than added fastening components.
3Strength
If the outer diameter of the protective member is made larger than the corrugated tube outer diameter, then the protective function is improved, but the adaptability decreases when tube length varies
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member applies reinforcement locally at the end section of the corrugated tube rather than increasing the overall diameter of the entire tube assembly. The tubular section fits within the end section, and the outer peripheral rib engages with the local inner peripheral annular concave section, providing targeted protection without affecting the overall dimensions or adaptability to different tube lengths.
Data Source
AI summary
A protective member able to prevent a protector from being large-sized, and to prevent a crush of an end section of a corrugated tube, a tube mounting structure using such a protective member, and a method of mounting a tube are provided. An inner member (protective member) includes: a tubular section fitted into an end section of a corrugated tube, and harder than this corrugated tube; and an outer peripheral rib formed so as to extend in a circumferential direction on an outer periphery of the tubular section, and inserted into an inner peripheral annular concave at the end section of the corrugated tube.