Retractable Fluid Tube Support to Prevent Tangling and Twisting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid supply systems face challenges in maintaining the efficiency and organization of flexible supply lines, leading to issues such as tangling and twisting during extension and retraction, which can disrupt fluid delivery processes.
Innovation Solution
A fluid supply device with a flexible tube, a housing for storage, and a support system that includes a support portion and a position maintaining portion to manage the tube's extension and retraction, utilizing elastic, magnetic, or electromagnetic forces to return the support portion to its initial position, ensuring the tube is properly arranged within the storage space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the tube is extended from the storage space for fluid supply, then the fluid delivery capability is improved, but the tube becomes tangled and twisted which disrupts the supply line organization
Solution Approach 1:
The support portion is designed to move dynamically within the storage space, changing its position from an initial position to a moved position as the tube extends. This dynamic adjustment allows the support portion to continuously track and support the tube throughout its extension, preventing tangling and maintaining organization while enabling full fluid delivery capability
Solution Approach 2:
The support portion acts as an intermediary element between the tube and the storage space. By introducing this intermediate component that actively follows the tube's extension, the system resolves the contradiction between tube extension and organization maintenance, as the support portion mediates the interaction between the extending tube and the confined storage space
2Stability of the object's composition
If the support portion moves to follow the tube extension, then the tube organization is maintained, but additional components and complexity are introduced to the system
Solution Approach 1:
The support portion is designed to automatically follow the tube's extension through self-service mechanisms. The support portion moves autonomously based on the tube's position without requiring external control systems, reducing complexity while maintaining effective tube organization throughout the extension process
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the support portion's movement is determined by the tube's extension state. This feedback loop allows the support portion to continuously adjust its position in response to tube movement, maintaining organization without complex external control, as the system self-regulates based on real-time tube position information
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
The solution effectively maintains the organization and regularity of the fluid supply line within the storage space, preventing tangling and twisting, and ensuring consistent fluid delivery by using restoring forces to guide the tube back into its initial position after extension.
Implementation Method 1
The position maintaining portion may include an elastic member connected to the support portion, and the elastic member may be configured to store an elastic force while the support portion moves from the initial position and apply the restoring force to the support portion to return the support portion to the initial position through the elastic force.
Implementation Method 2
The position maintaining portion may further include: a first magnetic member connected to the support portion; and a second magnetic member magnetically coupled to the first magnetic member, wherein the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member may be configured to apply a magnetic force to each other to return the support portion to the initial position.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid supply system may include: a tube configured to allow a fluid to flow through the tube; a housing including a storage space configured to store at least a portion of the tube, and an outlet which allows the tube to extend from the storage space; a support portion configured to support at least a portion of the tube in the storage space, and configured to move from an initial position of the support portion towards the outlet based on a degree of extension of the tube from the outlet; and a position maintaining portion connected to the support portion and configured to apply a restoring force to the support portion to return the support portion to the initial position.