Power-Tool Pulling Eye for Fast Micro-Conduit Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pulling eyes for polyethylene conduits require manual twisting, which is time-consuming and laborious for both installation and removal, especially when dealing with conduits of larger diameters.
Innovation Solution
A pulling eye design that includes an elongated body with a clevis-shaped head capable of interfitting with a rotating power tool, allowing for the threaded end to be easily screwed in and unscrewed using a power tool, reducing manual labor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual twisting with an elongated tool is used to screw the pulling eye into the conduit, then the pulling eye can be installed and removed, but the process is time-consuming and laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical twisting operation with a power-driven rotational system. The head of the pulling eye is designed with a recess that accepts a power tool attachment, enabling the threaded end to be screwed into and out of the conduit using rotational power rather than manual effort. This substitution dramatically reduces the time and labor required for installation and removal operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the head of the pulling eye is designed with spaced-apart bifurcations for manual tool insertion, then manual twisting is possible, but the operation becomes arduous and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The head of the pulling eye is designed with a recess that can accommodate different power tool attachments, making the pulling eye compatible with various rotational power tools. This universal design allows the same pulling eye to be used with different power sources and tool types, while eliminating the need for manual manipulation through the spaced-apart bifurcations design.
3Productivity
If the pulling eye is designed for power tool operation, then installation and removal are faster, but the head structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The head of the pulling eye is segmented into distinct functional zones: the recess area designed for power tool attachment and the tangs area for traditional manual operation or alternative attachment methods. This segmentation allows the head to accommodate power tool operation without completely redesigning the entire structure, maintaining compatibility with existing designs while adding power tool capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A pulling eye for use when pulling conduit, comprised for example of polyethylene, of relatively small diameter, such as a micro-conduit, through a conduit of larger diameter includes an elongated body having a head end and an externally-threaded tapered section opposite the head end which, when threaded into one end of the conduit of relatively small diameter effects the biting of the external threads of the tapered section into the interior walls of the conduit of relatively small diameter. The head end of the pulling eye is configured to cooperatively interfit with the working end of a rotating power tool to facilitate the attachment of the pulling eye to and the removal of the pulling eye from the conduit of relatively small diameter.