Strongarm Roller Mechanism for Hydro Excavation Hose Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydro excavation workers face difficulties in maneuvering heavy and long hydro excavation hoses, which are often too heavy and cumbersome, especially when the truck or trailer cannot be positioned close to the excavation site, requiring workers to drag the hose over long distances.
Innovation Solution
A strongarm device with a support frame, pivotally connected boom, and a roller system that supports and facilitates the movement of the hydro excavation hose, allowing it to roll over a concave roller, reducing the strain on the worker and enabling easier handling and maneuverability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the hydro excavation hose is made longer to reach distant excavation sites, then the working range is improved, but the hose becomes heavier and more difficult to maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a strongarm device as an intermediary mechanism between the vacuum equipment and the excavation site. This device includes a boom arm with a roller at its end, which acts as a mediator to support and guide the hose, eliminating the need for workers to manually drag the heavy hose across the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the hose movement from ground-level dragging to an elevated path using the boom arm. By lifting the hose into the air and routing it over the roller at the boom's end, the system changes the dimensional space in which the hose operates, reducing friction and manual handling requirements.
2Reliability
If the hydro excavation hose is made heavier to maintain structural integrity over long distances, then the hose durability is improved, but the worker effort required to handle it increases
Solution Approach 1:
The strongarm device's boom arm structure provides mechanical support that counteracts the weight of the hose. The roller at the end of the boom arm acts as a support point that bears the hose's weight, effectively providing a counterbalancing force that eliminates the need for workers to exert force to support the hose during movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed so that the strongarm device automatically supports and guides the hose during operation. The roller mechanism allows the hose to feed through passively as the boom moves, eliminating the need for manual handling and reducing worker effort to near zero for hose management.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the truck or trailer is positioned farther from the excavation site, then the operational flexibility is improved, but the hose handling difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The boom arm is designed with rotational joints that allow it to dynamically adjust its position and reach. This dynamic capability enables the strongarm device to extend its reach to compensate for the increased distance between the truck/trailer and the excavation site, maintaining operational flexibility while the roller mechanism continues to eliminate manual hose handling difficulties.
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 strongarm device significantly reduces the effort required to maneuver the hydro excavation hose, making it easier for workers to manage and position the hose during operations by distributing the weight and allowing smoother movement over the roller, thus enhancing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a roller secured to the bracket and configured for the hydro excavation hose to roll back and forth over an upper surface of the roller
Data Source
AI summary
A strongarm device for use with a hydro excavation hose includes a support frame configured to carry hydro excavation equipment, a support post having first and second ends, the first end being secured to the support frame, and a boom having a first end and a second end, where the first end is pivotally connected to the second end of the support post and configured for the second end of the boom to rotate relative thereto. In addition, the strongarm device includes a bracket secured to and suspended from the second end of the boom, and a roller secured to the bracket and configured for the hydro excavation hose to roll back and forth over an upper surface of the roller.