Spring Lug Clamp for Conduit Diameter Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamps for fastening lines, such as hydraulic lines, fail to ensure operational reliability under varying conditions like thermal changes and diameter tolerances, as they lack effective compensation mechanisms for mechanical loads and diameter variations.
Innovation Solution
The clamp features spring lugs that extend cantilevered into recesses on the inside of the clamping channel, allowing for resilient radial movement and forming a contact surface that adjusts the effective diameter, compensating for diameter changes and thermal influences, and are integrated with the clamping body for simplified design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a crowned, radially inwardly curved surface area is provided on the inside of the indentations to increase surface pressure, then the clamping effect is improved, but sufficient operational reliability cannot be achieved under thermal influences and diameter changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing the static crowned surface with a dynamic spring element that can actively adapt its clamping force. The spring element (15) is designed to be radially movable within the indentation (2), allowing it to dynamically adjust the effective diameter of the clamping channel based on the line's diameter and thermal expansion, thereby maintaining reliable clamping under varying conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by using a spring element that can vary the effective diameter of the clamping channel. The spring element's radial position changes according to the line's diameter and thermal state, automatically adjusting the clamping parameters to maintain operational reliability across different temperature and diameter conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If diameter tolerances are used to accommodate variations, then no compensation is possible for thermal influences and diameter changes
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element provides dynamic adaptation by radially moving within the indentation to compensate for both diameter tolerances and thermal influences. This dynamic mechanism goes beyond static diameter tolerance design, actively adjusting the clamping force to maintain operational reliability under varying conditions.
3Reliability
If spring elements are used to form contact surfaces that extend in the spring-loaded manner, then diameter tolerances and thermal changes are compensated, but additional components must be mounted on the clamping channel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the spring element with the clamping body by forming it as an integral part of the indentation structure. The spring element is radially movable within the indentation but is designed to be part of the clamping body itself, eliminating the need for separate mounted components and simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining compensation capabilities.
4Ease of operation
If the spring lug is formed in one piece with the clamping body, then handling and use are simplified, but the design of the recess and spring lug integration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The spring lug is formed in one piece with the clamping body as an integrated structure. This merging of components simplifies handling and use by eliminating separate parts, while the design accepts the increased manufacturing complexity of creating the integrated spring lug with its radial movement capability within the indentation.
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
This design ensures reliable anchoring of lines across a wide range of diameters and thermal conditions by compensating for diameter tolerances and providing a secure clamping effect through the spring flexibility, enhancing operational safety and handling simplicity.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element which, for the line to be fastened, has a line extending along at least a partial section of the inside of the recess, which forms a contact surface that extends in a spring-loaded manner in the radial direction of the clamping channel
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
In a clamp for fastening at least one conductor, preferably several conductors, with two clamping bodies (1) that can be brought together by a clamping means, at least one of which has a recess (2) for conductors to be fastened, which forms part of a clamping channel extending in the axial direction of the conductor to be fastened, and wherein a device (5) is provided on the inside of the respective recess (2) that causes a region-wise change in the effective diameter of the clamping channel, the device that region-wise changes the effective diameter of the clamping channel is formed by at least one spring element (5) which forms a contact surface for the conductor to be fastened extending along at least a partial section of the inside of the recess (2), which is spring-loaded and movable in the radial direction of the clamping channel.