Self-Seating Damper Clamp for Remote Utility Conductor Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing damper clamps for utility conductors require manual installation, making it difficult to quickly, safely, and cost-effectively install them remotely using an extendible reach tool due to the need for manual holding during positioning.
Innovation Solution
A self-seating damper clamp design that can be installed from remote locations, featuring a clamp assembly with a body, stem, keeper, and spring, allowing for remote positioning and secure attachment to utility conductors using an extendible reach tool, where the keeper is biased towards the seat to temporarily hold and then tighten the conductor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing damper clamps are designed to close around a conductor at an angle relative to the ground, then the clamp can be secured to the conductor, but the installer must hold the clamp in place during installation, preventing remote installation using an extendible reach tool
Solution Approach 1:
The keeper is pre-biased toward the clamping position by the spring, so that when the clamp is positioned on the conductor, the keeper automatically moves to temporarily hold the conductor in the seat. This preliminary biasing action eliminates the need for the installer to manually hold the clamp during positioning, enabling remote installation while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded keeper mechanism is self-actuating. When the clamp approaches the conductor, the spring biases the keeper into the clamping position to temporarily hold the conductor, and subsequent rotation of the stem tightens the keeper further. The system serves itself without requiring continuous manual intervention, enabling remote operation.
2Reliability
If the keeper is tightened to releasably secure the conductor, then secure attachment is achieved, but the installation process becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The spring pre-biases the keeper toward the clamping position before the installer applies final tightening. This preliminary action partially secures the conductor in place, allowing the installer to complete the attachment with a single tightening motion rather than requiring multiple adjustment steps, thus reducing installation time while ensuring secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded mechanism replaces the need for complex multi-step mechanical adjustment systems. The automatic biasing and temporary holding function reduces the number of manual operations required, streamlining the tightening process and reducing installation time while maintaining reliable attachment security.
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 quick, safe, and cost-effective remote installation of damper clamps on utility conductors, effectively reducing installation time and labor while ensuring secure attachment, thereby addressing the limitations of existing manual installation methods.
Implementation Method 1
The spring is around the stem between the keeper and the base to normally bias the keeper toward the clamping position to at least temporarily hold the conductor positioned between the seat and the keeper
Implementation Method 2
When the keeper is in the clamping position, rotational movement of the stem is translated to linear movement of the keeper to releasably secure the conductor between the seat and the keeper
Data Source
AI summary
Damper clamps that can be mounted and secured to utility conductors from remote locations are provided. The damper clamps are configured to be installed from remote locations, such as the ground, by an individual lineman using an extendable reach tool. Initially, the damper clamp is set in an open position where a conductor can be positioned within a seat of the damper clamp and then the damper clamp can be activated so that a keeper is biased toward the seat to temporarily hold the conductor within the seat. The keeper is then tightened to releasably secured to the conductor to the damper clamp.