Trackable Foreign Material Exclusion Plug With Secure Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foreign material exclusion devices lack secure, trackable, and easily identifiable solutions for preventing debris introduction during assembly or maintenance in industries like power generation, which can lead to damage or safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A foreign material exclusion device with a resilient body captured between a base and a cap, featuring a post with a secure locking mechanism, X-ray visible metal components for visibility, and marked surfaces for inventory tracking, along with angled posts for enhanced removal and rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a foreign material exclusion device is used to seal areas from foreign materials, then safety and protection from debris are improved, but the device must be securely locked and tracked which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct components: a resilient body for sealing, a post for positioning, a base for support, and a cap with locking mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while simplifying the overall design and assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The post is inserted through the resilient body and secured within the cap, creating a nested structure where the body is captured between the base and cap. The locking mechanism within the cap secures the post, demonstrating nested positioning that ensures reliability without excessive complexity.
2Reliability
If the device includes secure locking mechanisms and tracking features, then reliability and trackability are improved, but manufacturing and assembly become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is pre-configured in the cap with a latch and notch structure that automatically engages with the post during assembly. The resilient body is pre-formed to fit over the post, eliminating the need for complex fastening operations and simplifying the assembly process while maintaining secure locking.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient body's elasticity allows it to self-adjust and secure itself around the post during insertion. The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage when the cap is positioned correctly, reducing the need for manual intervention and complex assembly procedures.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If X-ray visible metal components are added for tracking and identification, then detectability and inventory tracking are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire device X-ray visible, only specific strategic components such as the cap or base incorporate X-ray visible metal elements. This localized approach provides sufficient detectability for tracking and inventory management while minimizing the addition of components and associated complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A foreign material exclusion device that is adapted to seal an area of a construction, such as a tube or pipe, from foreign material or debris temporarily, wherein the device has a resilient body for holding the device within a particular construction. The device also includes a post extending through the body and a base connected to a first end of the post, the base including a flange for maintaining the body on the post. The device further includes a cap that is securely locked to a second end of the post to prevent the post being withdrawn from the cap. The device body is captured between the base and cap.