Pipe Sleeve Fastening Through Beam Holes Without Extra Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In aircraft environments, the conventional methods for fixing pipes to beams often require drilling holes, leading to congestion above and below the beams, which reduces habitability and necessitates minimizing pipe size, while existing solutions do not effectively address the need for a compact and hole-free installation method.
Innovation Solution
A sleeve fixing system is introduced, featuring a cylinder with tunnels and a solidarity collar that fits within a beam hole, utilizing a self-locking link and locking system with an anti-return ratchet to securely hold pipes in place without requiring additional holes, allowing the pipes to pass through existing beam holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional methods are used to fix pipes to beams, then pipes can be securely attached, but holes must be drilled in the beams and fittings must be added, increasing complexity and reducing habitability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pipe attachment function from the beam structure itself. Instead of modifying the beam with holes and fittings, a self-contained sleeve system is used that attaches pipes to the beam exterior while utilizing an existing hole for insertion, thereby separating the attachment mechanism from the structural beam.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve system employs a nested structure where the cylinder is inserted through the existing beam hole, the collar is secured around the cylinder, and the link with shoe and locking system is housed within the cylinder's tunnel. This nested arrangement consolidates multiple attachment functions into a compact integrated system.
2Ease of manufacture
If pipes are positioned above or below beams, then pipes can be attached to beams, but the space becomes cluttered, reducing aircraft habitability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions the pipe attachment from a three-dimensional external positioning (above or below the beam) to a one-dimensional linear path through the existing hole. The pipe passes through the beam via the hole, with the sleeve system consolidating the attachment in a compact linear arrangement rather than requiring external space.
3Volume of moving object
If the pipe size is minimized, then habitability is improved, but the pipe may not provide sufficient structural support or flow capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve system performs preliminary structural reinforcement by securing the pipe to the beam through the collar and locking system before the pipe is subjected to operational loads. The bearing surfaces and locking mechanism pre-establish the structural connection, allowing the pipe to maintain adequate strength and support capacity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The invention relates to a sleeve fastening system (150) fixed to a beam with a hole drilled through it and receiving two pipes (50a-b), comprising a cylinder (152) fitted into the hole, each end of which receives a pipe (50a-b), the wall of said cylinder (152) being hollowed out with at least one tunnel (156), a collar (154), each tunnel (156) having openings (156a-b) that open on either side of the collar (154), which has a bearing face (154a) bearing against the beam and a free face (154b), and for each tunnel (156), a retaining system (160) comprising a link (164), a shoe (162), and a locking system (166), where the link (164) is housed in the tunnel (156) with the shoe (162) locked in a first opening (156a) on the free face side (154b) and where the link (164) exits through a second opening (156b) on the support face side (154a) and where the locking system (166) is attached.