Sliding Cable Safety Device for Pressurized Conduits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current safety devices for securing conduits and pipelines under pressure, such as the 'whip check' device, fail to effectively dampen high dynamic forces generated during ruptures or explosions, leading to additional damage and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A sliding cable safety device with calibrated sleeves and terminals that tighten around connection points upon rupture, allowing the flexible cable to slide and dissipate energy, thereby controlling friction and damping forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional whip check safety device is used to secure connections in pressurized conduits, then the device can retain parts in case of rupture, but it fails to effectively dampen high dynamic forces generated during ruptures or explosions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates energy-absorbing elements and damping mechanisms into the safety device structure before rupture occurs. These elements are designed to activate and absorb the high dynamic forces generated during rupture or explosion, preventing the transmission of these forces to surrounding equipment and personnel while maintaining the part-retention function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful high dynamic forces generated during rupture into useful energy absorption and damping actions. The device is designed to harness the force of rupture itself to tighten the cable around the connection and activate damping mechanisms, thereby using the harmful energy to enhance the safety function rather than merely resisting it.
2Reliability
If safety devices are installed to secure pressurized conduits, then protection against rupture damage is provided, but the installation process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The safety device is designed as a multi-functional unit that combines part retention, energy absorption, and damping functions in a single integrated structure. This eliminates the need for multiple separate components and simplifies the installation process, allowing workers to install one device that performs multiple safety functions simultaneously, thereby improving installation productivity without compromising protection.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If complex safety systems with multiple components are used to dampen dynamic forces, then better damping performance is achieved, but manufacturing costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cable structure, energy-absorbing elements, and damping mechanisms into an integrated safety device. The cable itself is designed with inherent damping characteristics, and energy-absorbing features are incorporated directly into the cable construction rather than being separate components. This merging reduces the total number of parts, simplifies the device structure, and lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining effective damping performance.
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 device effectively limits negative effects and damages from breakages or explosions by dissipating dynamic stresses, providing a safer and more rapid installation with lower manufacturing costs, suitable for environments with explosive risks.
Implementation Method 1
the flexible cable (11) is subject to slide in the two sleeves (14, 15)... suitable to dampen the dynamic forces which are generated
Implementation Method 2
whereby the two terminals (16, 18) are forced to cooperate in contact with the two corresponding sleeves (14, 15), so as to tighten the two eyelets (12, 13)... and dissipate the dynamic energy that is generated
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2(a)~2(d)
Figure 3(a)~3(h)
AI summary
A new and innovative safety device (10), with a sliding cable, and a corresponding installation (IN), to secure conduits, pipes, piping and similar equipments subject to a high pressure due to a fluid under pressure that circulates in the same conduits and equipments, comprising: - a flexible cable (11) which forms a first (12) and a second attachment eyelet (13) for attaching and connecting the safety device (10), at its two opposite ends, to two parts (P1, P2), connected between them, of these conduits and equipments under pressure; - a first (14) and a second sleeve (15) which close two end portions of the flexible cable (11) so as to form, at the ends of the safety device (10), the first and second attachment eyelets (12, 13); and two terminals (16, 18) provided at the opposite ends (11a', 11b') of the flexible cable (11); wherein the safety device (10) is configured in such a way that, when a rupture occurs or a burst occurs in the zone of the two parts (P1, P2), connected between them, of these conduits and equipments under pressure, the flexible cable (11) of the safety device (10) is subject to slide in the two sleeves (14, 15), and consequently the two terminals (16, 18), fitted to the two heads of the flexible cable (11), are pushed to cooperate into contact with the two sleeves (14, 15), so as to tighten the two eyelets (12, 13) around the two parts (P1, P2), of the conduit or equipment in pressure, to which the safety device (10) is attached. The safety device of the invention exhibits improved performances compared to the security devices currently known and in use for similar purposes, and in particular, thanks to the sliding of the flexible cable (11), of which it is composed, in the two sleeves (14, 15), the safety device is adapted to exert an effective action for damping and dissipating the energy that develops and is released in the event of a breakage and/or explosion in the connection zones of conduits, organs, and similar equipments in pressure, so as to limit as much as possible the damages that are produced when these events occur.