Extensible Pole Coupling Assembly for Snag-Free Line Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extensible pole coupling assemblies, such as outriggers, face challenges with wall thickness limitations due to the need for nestability and the presence of clamps which create snagging hazards and obstruct fishing lines, while irreversible assembly methods prevent collapsibility for storage and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A coupling assembly that securely and releasably connects tubes using conventional hand tools, allowing lines to pass through without snagging, with a design that includes an outer and inner body with bosses and frames to provide structural support and flexibility, and features that prevent over-tightening and corrosion, enabling easy disassembly for storage and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If clamps are used to connect tubes, then the tubes can be securely connected, but the clamps create snagging hazards and obstruct fishing lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the clamp component entirely from the design. Instead of using clamps to connect tubes, the invention uses a nested tube structure where the inner tube is inserted into the outer tube and secured by a coupling mechanism at the end, eliminating the snagging hazard while maintaining connection strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a coupling mechanism as an intermediary component that connects the inner and outer tubes without requiring external clamps. This coupling device provides the necessary connection strength while maintaining a smooth exterior surface that does not snag fishing lines
2Strength
If thicker tube walls are used, then the structure becomes stiffer and reduces unwanted bending motion, but the ability to interconnect a number of poles to create the desired outrigger distance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the outrigger into multiple separate tube sections that can be interconnected. This segmentation allows the use of thinner-walled tubes that can be connected in series to achieve the required outrigger distance, while each individual tube maintains sufficient stiffness for its segment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a nested tube configuration where an inner tube is placed inside an outer tube. This nesting arrangement allows for efficient use of space during storage and transportation, and enables the connection of multiple pole sections to achieve the desired extended outrigger distance while maintaining structural integrity
3Strength
If irreversible assembly techniques are used to couple joints, then the structure is strong, but the possibility of collapsing the outriggers for storage and transportation is eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a reversible coupling mechanism that allows the outrigger to transition between extended and collapsed states. The coupling device can be easily assembled and disassembled using conventional hand tools, providing both strong joint connection when assembled and collapsibility for storage when disassembled
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling assembly to releasably couple two or more tubes together. The tubes can be assembled and disassembled with conventional hand tools. A line or cable can be routed through the tubes. The coupling assembly can prevent snagging of lines on the exterior of the tubes. The coupling assembly can flex with the tubes under load, and the line can be fed through the coupling assembly without snagging.