Tapered Cable Clamp for Controlled Radial Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current clamps for flexible slender structures, such as power cables and umbilicals, face challenges in efficiently controlling tension and radial deformation, particularly during subsea operations like laying, recovery, and repair, due to issues with assembly complexity, time consumption, and excessive deformation caused by polymer creep.
Innovation Solution
A clamp design featuring a housing with a tapered through hole and a movable gripping element, actuated by hydraulic cylinders or cable tension, allowing controlled radial deformation and self-tightening, with adjustable grip force and reduced complexity for subsea assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bolts or hydraulics are used to press pads/plates together around the cable, then the cable can be held securely, but the assembly and disassembly process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is divided into a housing with a through-hole and a separate gripping element that can move independently within the housing. This segmentation allows the gripping element to be actuated separately to engage or disengage from the cable, enabling quick operation without complex assembly procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping element is designed to be movable within the housing, allowing it to self-adjust and self-engage with the cable when actuated. The movement mechanism enables the gripping element to automatically position itself to grip the cable securely, reducing the need for complex manual assembly steps
2Reliability
If hydraulic cylinders are used to apply uniform pressure, then the cable can be held firmly, but excessive radial deformation occurs due to polymer creep
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying uniform pressure across the entire cable cross-section, the gripping element applies localized pressure at specific contact points. This concentrated gripping force is sufficient to hold the cable firmly while distributing the stress in a way that minimizes overall radial deformation and creep of the polymer materials
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping element is designed to be movable, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and apply force as needed. This dynamic capability enables the clamp to maintain secure holding force while accommodating cable movement and minimizing excessive deformation through controlled, adjustable pressure application
3Reliability
If the clamp is designed to accommodate cable diameter reduction from polymer creep, then sufficient contact force is maintained, but the clamp requires time for relaxation during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping element is pre-positioned within the housing in a retracted state, ready to engage the cable immediately upon actuation. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for time-consuming relaxation periods during assembly, as the gripping element can be quickly moved into its gripping position to establish sufficient contact force from the start
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 clamp provides a secure, adjustable grip with controlled radial deformation, facilitating quicker assembly and reduced complexity, enabling efficient subsea operations like cable recovery and repair while minimizing operator risk and cable damage.
Implementation Method 1
the through hole comprises a tapered section, and a gripping element arranged in the tapered section of the through hole. A movement of the gripping element in the axial direction in the through hole thus causes a radial movement of at least a part of the gripping element.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 2
AI summary
A clamp (10) for holding a flexible slender structure comprises a housing (11) with a through hole (12), where the through hole comprises a tapered section, and a gripping element (13) arranged in the tapered section of the through hole. The gripping element is movable in the axial direction of the through hole, and the gripping element has an outer surface facing the walls of the through hole and an inner surface (18) configured to grip the flexible slender structure. A movement of the gripping element in the axial direction in the through hole causes a radial movement of at least a part of the gripping element thus providing a gripping force on a flexible slender structure arranged in the clamp.