Recyclable Electric Pole With Segmented Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical poles, particularly those made from thermosetting materials, are not recyclable due to irreversible transformation, and even thermoplastic designs face challenges in separating constituents without leaving impurities during recycling, while maintaining mechanical cohesion.
Innovation Solution
The design features removable stopping means, such as screws, within the electrical connections' openings, allowing for easy extraction of connections and active parts without damage, using thermoplastic materials and irregular inner sections to promote cohesion during service and facilitate recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the external body is constructed of thermosetting material to ensure mechanical strength and stability, then the structural integrity is improved, but the recyclability deteriorates because these materials cannot be melted or reused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from thermosetting to thermoplastic, which fundamentally alters the recyclability characteristic while maintaining mechanical strength through proper material selection and design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with thermoplastic external body and metal electrical connections, where each material is optimized for its specific function while enabling overall recyclability through the thermoplastic component
2Strength
If the connections are embedded inseparably in the external body to ensure good mechanical behavior and cohesion, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the ease of separation for recycling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection structure into two distinct parts: an outer cylindrical portion that remains embedded for mechanical cohesion, and an inner portion with irregular section that can be extracted for recycling, allowing both strong bonding and easy separation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the inner portion of the connections from the external body in a removable manner, allowing this part to be separated for recycling while the outer portion remains embedded to maintain mechanical integrity
3Ease of operation
If the connections are made with simple cylindrical shape to facilitate extraction, then the ease of recycling is improved, but the mechanical cohesion and resistance to pivoting movements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry to the inner portion of the connections by giving it an irregular section instead of a simple cylindrical shape, which provides resistance to pivoting movements while still allowing extraction in the axial direction
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables perfect separation of materials without impurities, maintaining mechanical cohesion and dielectric strength, allowing for easy recycling and reuse of components without damage or additional sorting, while ensuring good mechanical and electrical performance.
Implementation Method 1
the inner portion of each of the connections being nested in the wall of the body and of smaller section than the outer portion. The interior portions include grooves extending in an axial direction of the openings, the grooves being filled with body material
Data Source
AI summary
This electrical equipment comprises easily separable parts, where, in particular, the electrical connections (3, 4) are secured by screws (16, 18) within a body (1), and can be extracted by a simple translational movement once the screws have been removed. These screws are accessible from the outside, and the connections (3, 4) have cylindrical, generally circular, outer sections, but irregularly shaped inner sections to facilitate interlocking with the body (1) and, in particular, to prevent rotation. The active part (2) is likewise easily removable. Combined with the construction of the outer body (1) from thermoplastic material, these features, allowing for easy disassembly, make it possible to easily recycle the equipment, which can be a circuit breaker, a switch, etc.