Fibre-Reinforced Tube Insert for Damage-Free Clamping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fiber-reinforced pipes face challenges in stationary connection to other components due to their material properties, leading to undesirable settlement behavior and damage when strong clamping forces are applied, which reduces their structural strength.

Innovation Solution

A pipe arrangement with an insert element featuring an elongate round body and radially extending projections that absorb external clamping forces, allowing for even fiber distribution and preventing fiber interruption, made from materials like metal, plastic, or ceramic, with galvanic insulation to prevent corrosion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If strong clamping force is applied to fiber-reinforced pipes, then clamping connection is achieved, but the pipe structure is damaged due to local compression and delamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclamping forceVSAvoidpipe structure strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

A metal insert element is introduced as an intermediary component between the clamping device and the fiber-reinforced pipe. The insert element has a cylindrical body with radially extending projections that extend into the pipe wall, allowing clamping forces to be applied to the projections rather than directly to the pipe wall, thereby preventing local compression and delamination of the fiber composite material

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If complex fastening devices or special fiber material modifications are used, then clamping without damage is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedamage-free clampingVSAvoidfastening device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The solution segments the clamping system into three distinct components: the fiber-reinforced pipe, the metal insert element with projections, and the clamping device. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally - the insert element's projections provide localized reinforcement points that simplify the clamping device design while ensuring damage-free connection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If existing clamping devices are used on fiber-reinforced tubes, then clamping is achieved, but the material is locally compressed leading to settling or delamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclamping operationVSAvoidlocal compression damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The insert element provides localized reinforcement at specific points on the pipe where clamping forces are applied. The cylindrical body with radially extending projections creates localized reinforcement zones that distribute clamping forces evenly, preventing the local compression, settling, or delamination that would occur with direct clamping of the fiber-reinforced pipe

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3245049B1Fibre-reinforced tube
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
  • EP3245049B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3245049B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3245049B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The invention proposes an inlay element to be arranged in a clamping region of a fibre-reinforced tube, said inlay element having an elongate round body (11, 21), which has an outer lateral surface (12, 22) on which there are arranged at least two protrusions (13, 23) extending radially away from the lateral surface (12, 22), wherein the protrusions (13, 23) each have an end face (14, 24) remote from the round body for the areal application of an external clamping force. Furthermore, the invention describes a tube arrangement having a fibre-reinforced tube and a corresponding inlay element and also a method for producing a tube arrangement.