Cargo Container Nose Cone Clamping Assembly for Reversible Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for efficient and reliable methods of manufacturing cylindrical cargo containers that reduce cost while enabling flexibility of materials and configurations, providing advantages in various applications.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical cargo container design featuring a tubular shell, an annular mounting ring, and a nose cone clamped to the mounting ring using an annular clamping collar with a constriction device, allowing for reversible and durable mounting while minimizing weight and maximizing aerodynamic efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rigid mounting methods (welds, permanent fasteners) are used to attach the nose cone to the container, then structural strength and reliability are improved, but ease of repair and maintenance are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into separate modular components: a mounting ring attached to the container body, a nose cone with integrated mounting features, and removable fastening elements. This segmentation allows the nose cone to be detached and replaced without damaging the container body, maintaining structural integrity while enabling easy maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows the nose cone to be easily removed and replaced when damaged or worn, while the permanent mounting ring remains on the container body. This selective replacement approach recovers the valuable container body structure while discarding only the worn nose cone component, reducing overall maintenance costs and complexity.
2Reliability
If heavy-duty permanent mounting structures are used to secure the nose cone, then reliability and structural integrity are improved, but weight of the container is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system separates permanent structural elements (mounting ring integrated with container body) from removable components (nose cone and fasteners). This allows minimal permanent structural additions while achieving reliable attachment, reducing overall weight compared to fully permanent heavy-duty mounting structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting ring provides localized reinforcement at the nose cone attachment points without requiring heavy structural modifications throughout the entire container. This concentrated local strengthening achieves the needed structural integrity with minimal additional weight.
3Ease of repair
If complex mounting mechanisms are used to enable reversible attachment, then ease of repair is improved, but device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system uses simple segmented components (mounting ring, nose cone, fasteners) rather than a single complex integrated mechanism. This modular approach simplifies manufacturing and assembly while enabling easy reversible attachment for maintenance purposes.
4Loss of energy
If streamlined aerodynamic nose cone design is implemented, then fuel economy is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The aerodynamic nose cone is designed as a separate removable component that can be manufactured and fitted to the container body. This segmentation allows the use of precision forming techniques (such as fiberglass molding or metal forming) to achieve smooth aerodynamic surfaces without requiring the entire container to be manufactured as a single precision piece.
Solution Approach 2:
The nose cone may be constructed from composite materials such as fiberglass or carbon fiber, which can be molded into precise aerodynamic shapes with smooth surfaces. These composite materials provide both the required aerodynamic precision and structural strength while remaining relatively lightweight.
Data Source
AI summary
A cargo container has a tubular shell, an annular mounting ring mounted thereto, and a nose cone clamped to the annular mounting ring by an annular clamping collar. The mounting ring has a coupling slot and an annular flange. The nose cone has an annular flange. The clamping collar has an inwardly facing annular groove, and a constriction device. The mounting ring is mounted to the tubular shell wherein an annular edge of the tubular shell is rigidly held in the coupling slot. The nose cone and mounting ring annular flanges together form a mounting wedge. The clamping collar clamps the nose cone to the annular mounting ring wherein the mounting wedge is rigidly held in the annular groove by constriction of the clamping collar by the constriction device.