Segmented Hinge Clamp with Soft Buffer for Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clamps exhibit poor workability when attaching soft members to hard members, lack flexibility for vibration suppression, and are inflexible in accommodating varying tube diameters, limiting their applicability.
Innovation Solution
A clamp design featuring a cylindrical body formed by two concave members connected by a hinge, with elastically deformable engaging devices and arc-shaped buffer members made of soft synthetic resin, allowing for adjustable attachment and effective vibration suppression across different diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the clamp is designed with a fixed concave shape for a predetermined tube diameter, then the clamp can securely hold that specific diameter, but it cannot be adapted to other tube diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is divided into a clamp main body and a separate buffer member. The buffer member can be detached and replaced with different sizes to accommodate various tube diameters, while the clamp main body remains unchanged. This segmentation allows adaptability without requiring multiple complete clamp designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer member is disposed inside the concave shape of the clamp main body. The buffer member fits within the existing structure, allowing it to modify the internal dimensions without changing the external clamp structure. This nested configuration enables diameter adjustment while maintaining manufacturing precision of the main body.
2Ease of manufacture
If the clamp is made as an integral structure, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the workability when attaching soft members to hard members is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is segmented into the clamp main body (hard member) and the buffer member (soft member). This separation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - the main body for structural integrity and the buffer member for soft attachment - while simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to creating a complex integral structure with varying material properties.
3Device complexity
If the clamp lacks flexible parts, then the structure is simple and rigid, but it cannot suppress vibration of the held tube body
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer member is made of soft synthetic resin with local flexibility specifically at the contact surface with the tube body. This localized softness provides vibration suppression where needed, while the rest of the clamp structure remains rigid and simple. The soft member's elastic properties are concentrated where they are most effective for damping vibrations.
4Strength
If the clamp uses a hard member only, then the structural strength is high, but the productivity and workability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is segmented into a hard clamp main body for structural strength and a soft buffer member for ease of assembly. The soft buffer member can be easily attached and detached, significantly improving productivity during assembly and maintenance operations, while the hard main body maintains the necessary structural strength.
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 clamp provides improved workability, flexibility for vibration attenuation, and adaptability to various tube diameters by utilizing elastically deformable components, ensuring secure and stable holding of long bodies like pipes and tubes.
Implementation Method 1
an approximately arc-shaped buffer member disposed on an inner circumferential side of the concave member... there is almost no flexible part between the clamp main body and the article receiving body having the concave shape
Implementation Method 2
a clamp main body including two concave members 11 which form a cylindrical body by combining together
Data Source
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AI summary
A clamp is provided, which includes a clamp main body including a plurality of concave members forming a cylindrical body by combining together, and a fixing device provided in any of the plurality of concave members for fixing the clamp to an attachment object; and an approximately arc-like buffer member disposed on an inner circumferential side of the concave member. On one side surface facing the concave member in the buffer member, a leg portion is formed to bulge out, and on another side surface opposite to the one side surface in the buffer member, an approximately concave-like holding surface is provided. Such clamp can hold long bodies with various diameters, and also can attenuate vibrations of the long bodies.