Tote Tray Clamp With Silicone Pad For Pipe Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plumbers face challenges in securely holding pipes during various tasks such as measuring, cutting, bending, threading, joining, and soldering, as existing tote trays do not provide a reliable mechanism for hands-free pipe management.
Innovation Solution
A tote tray equipped with a clamp and a silicone pad that allows for secure gripping and carrying of pipes, enabling hands-free operation by releasably gripping the pipe with a clamp and providing additional frictional support with the silicone pad to prevent twisting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a plumber manually holds the pipe during tasks, then the pipe can be positioned and secured, but the plumber's hands are occupied and cannot perform other tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp mechanism is designed to self-grip the pipe when activated, holding it securely without requiring continuous manual intervention. The spring-loaded jaws automatically engage and maintain grip on the pipe, allowing the plumber to perform tasks hands-free while the clamp serves itself to hold the pipe in position
2Adaptability or versatility
If a simple clamp is added to the tote tray, then pipe gripping capability is provided, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is designed with universal jaws that can accommodate pipes of various diameters through adjustment mechanisms, providing multi-functional capability. The same clamp structure can grip different pipe sizes by adjusting the jaw position, eliminating the need for multiple specialized clamps for different pipe dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp mechanism is compactly designed to nest within or attach to the existing tote tray structure. The movable jaw and spring mechanism are arranged in a space-efficient configuration that integrates with the tote tray's available space, adding functionality without significantly increasing overall device complexity
3Reliability
If the clamp grips the pipe tightly, then secure holding is achieved, but the pipe may twist or rotate within the grip
Solution Approach 1:
The silicone pad is placed at a specific location on the clamp body, positioned to contact the pipe at a point that prevents rotation. This localized friction element provides directional stability by creating a second contact point that acts as a pivot constraint, ensuring the pipe maintains its orientation while being securely gripped by the jaws
4Manufacturing precision
If the clamp is designed for small pipes, then precision gripping is achieved, but larger pipes cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp features adjustable jaws that can dynamically reposition to accommodate different pipe diameters. The movable jaw can be adjusted along the clamp body to match the specific diameter of the pipe being gripped, allowing the same clamp structure to maintain precise grip on pipes ranging from small to large dimensions through dynamic reconfiguration
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
Enables plumbers to perform tasks on pipes without manual holding, ensuring secure grip and preventing pipe twisting, with adjustable clamp settings to accommodate pipes of different diameters and optional dual pipe handling.
Implementation Method 1
The silicone pad may enable the pipe to be held by frictional forces at second place along its length to prevent twisting of the pipe within the clamp
Implementation Method 2
The silicone pad may be configured to limit thermal transfer from a pipe lying thereon to the open-top box
Data Source
AI summary
Plumbers are often required to carry out various tasks on water pipes including measuring, cutting, bending, threading, joining, soldering and marking positions on pipes. Each of these activities requires the pipe to be held securely by the plumber (for instance in one hand, or under one foot, while the task itself is carried out using the free hand(s). The present invention is a tote tray provided with a clamp 15 connected to the open-top box, the clamp configured for releasably gripping a pipe 17. In this way, a plumber may place a pipe 17 within the clamp 15 and securely grip it therein, and may then carry out various types of work on the pipe 17 without the need to hold the pipe 17 manually in position. Once work on the pipe 17 has been completed, the user may release the clamp's grip on the pipe 17.