Tendon Protection Device Shell Assembly with Connecting Rod
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tendon protection devices have weak points due to reduced wall thickness in peripheral sections with hinges, which can lead to structural vulnerabilities and moisture penetration.
Innovation Solution
A tendon protection device design featuring connecting bushings and a rod-shaped element that prevents shell elements from pivoting, with a cover plate to seal the joint and a base plate to secure the rod, ensuring consistent radial extent and protection against external influences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hinges are used to enable shell elements to pivot for installation and maintenance, then ease of operation is improved, but structural strength deteriorates due to reduced wall thickness creating weak points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hinge mechanism entirely from the shell element design. Instead, it uses a rigid connecting rod with connecting bushings that pass through aligned holes in adjacent shell elements, eliminating the need for pivoting capability while maintaining structural integrity throughout the entire circumference.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than making the shell elements themselves pivotable through hinges, the invention inverts the approach by using a separate connecting rod mechanism that links shell elements together without requiring the shell elements to pivot, thus maintaining uniform wall thickness and structural strength.
2Ease of operation
If shell elements are designed with reduced wall thickness for hinge arrangement, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to creation of weak points
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism that required reduced wall thickness is completely removed. The new design uses connecting rods with bushings that pass through holes in the shell elements, allowing full wall thickness to be maintained and thus ensuring uniform structural reliability around the entire circumference.
3Strength
If connecting bushings and rod-shaped element are used to prevent pivoting, then structural strength is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism is segmented into distinct, simple components: rod-shaped connecting elements and connecting bushings. These modular components can be easily manufactured and assembled, reducing overall complexity while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting bushings are strategically positioned at specific locations around the circumference where connection is needed, rather than requiring complex mechanisms throughout. This localized approach simplifies the overall design while ensuring structural strength at critical connection points.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a tension member protection device (100; 1100) which is designed in such a way as to protect a tension member (110; 1110; 2110) arranged between two sections of a construction. The tension member protection device comprises at least two shell elements (120;1120; 2120) that can be arranged around the tension member (110; 1110; 2110) in the peripheral direction and conjointly surround a cavity (130; 1130; 2130) used to receive the tension member (110; 1110; 2110), and connection means for detachably connecting the shell elements (120; 1120; 2120) to each other. The connection means for connecting at least two shell elements (120; 1120; 2120), which lie against each other with two mating surfaces (123; 1123; 2123) in the cavity-forming (130; 1130; 2130) state, comprise a plurality of connectors (160; 1160, 1160a, 1160b; 2160) that are respectively associated with one of the two shell elements (120; 1120; 2120), said connectors (160; 1160, 1160a, 1160b; 2160) being designed and arranged on the shell elements (120; 1120; 2120) in such a way that they mesh with each other in the cavity-forming (130; 1130; 2130) state such that, in the longitudinal direction of the tension member protection device (100; 1100; 2100), the through-holes (165; 1165; 2165) of the connectors only substantially completely overlap when the two shell elements (120; 1120; 2120) lie against each other with the mating surfaces (123; 1123; 2123) thereof. The connection means also comprise a rod-type element (140; 1140; 2140) that is designed and defined so as to be guided through the through-holes (165; 1165; 2165) of the meshing connectors (160; 1160, 1160a, 1160b; 2160).