Self-Wrapping Thermal Sleeve for Wire Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sleeves for protecting wires in high-heat environments, such as in vehicles and aerospace, are either labor-intensive and costly to apply or suffer from installation issues due to their non-self-wrapping nature, leading to potential exposure and accessibility problems.
Innovation Solution
A self-wrapping, non-woven thermal sleeve with a substrate of low melt or bi-component fibers and standard thermoplastic fibers, which is heat-set to create a tubular shape, combined with a reflective outer layer for enhanced thermal protection and ease of use, allowing for radial insertion and automatic closure around elongate members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If high temperature resistant foil tape is used to wrap wires, then thermal protection is improved, but labor intensity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is designed with self-wrapping capability through its construction from heat-set tubular nonwoven fabric, allowing it to automatically wrap around and secure itself to the wire bundle without requiring manual wrapping or fastening devices. This eliminates the labor-intensive application process while maintaining thermal protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve utilizes heat-set fibers that are thermally biased to return to a predetermined tubular configuration when exposed to heat. This parameter change in fiber behavior enables automatic wrapping and securing to the wire bundle, replacing manual tape application.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If woven or knitted fabric sleeves are used, then thermal protection is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses heat-set nonwoven fabric with thermally biased fibers that automatically return to a tubular configuration when heated. This parameter change eliminates the need for complex woven or knitted fabric structures, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining thermal protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve combines nonwoven fabric with heat-set fibers having different thermal properties. The bi-component or low-melt fibers provide the heat-activated shape memory effect, while the standard thermoplastic fibers provide structural integrity, creating a composite material that achieves both thermal protection and manufacturing simplicity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If non-woven sleeves with fasteners are used, then thermal protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve eliminates fasteners by using heat-set fibers that automatically wrap and secure to the wire bundle through thermal activation. The self-wrapping mechanism replaces complex fastening systems with a simple heat-activated shape memory effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the fastening mechanism entirely from the sleeve design. By extracting the fastener component and replacing it with heat-set fibers that self-secure, the device complexity is reduced while maintaining thermal protection functionality.
4Ease of manufacture
If tubular non-wrappable sleeves are used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve transitions from a static tubular form to a dynamic self-wrapping form through heat activation. The heat-set fibers enable the sleeve to change its configuration from a flat or tubular state to a wrapped state around the wire bundle, improving ease of installation while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve utilizes thermal parameter changes in heat-set fibers to enable self-wrapping. When exposed to heat, the fibers return to their predetermined tubular configuration, allowing the sleeve to automatically conform to and secure around the wire bundle without complex installation procedures.
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 self-wrapping sleeve provides effective thermal protection with reduced labor and material costs, maintaining a closed configuration even under high heat, while allowing easy access and installation, thus overcoming the limitations of existing solutions.
Implementation Method 1
The bi-component or low melt fibers, when subjected to a heat treatment, take on a heat set configuration, thereby biasing the substrate to a self-curled memory position
Implementation Method 2
The bi-component or low melt fibers, when subjected to a heat treatment, take on a heat set configuration, thereby biasing the substrate to a self-curled memory position
Implementation Method 3
An outermost reflective layer is applied over an outer surface of the non-woven substrate
Implementation Method 4
The standard thermoplastic fibers act in part to provide the desired density and thickness to the substrate, as desired, thereby providing additional thermal protection and rigidity to the sleeve
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A self-wrapping, non-woven sleeve for routing and protecting elongate members includes a non-woven elongate wall having an outer surface with opposite sides extending along a longitudinal axis of the sleeve. The sides self-wrap about the longitudinal axis to provide a tubular cavity in absence of an externally applied force. The sides are extendable away from one another under an externally applied force to expose the cavity for insertion of the elongate members, wherein the sides return to their self-wrapped configuration upon removal of the externally applied force. Further, an outer reflective layer is attached to the outer surface of the self- wrapping wall to provide enhanced thermal protection to the elongate members in the cavity.