Vibration Isolating Insert With Discrete Plastic Hooks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vibration-isolating inserts for pipe clips face challenges in installation due to high friction, leading to displacement during pipe tightening, especially with smaller diameters, as they have high bending resistance and difficulty adapting to annular shapes.

Innovation Solution

A vibration-isolating insert with discrete plastic hooks along its edges, providing low bending resistance in the longitudinal direction while maintaining secure anchoring through a softer vibration-isolating material, and an L-shaped profile with one leg made of vibration-isolating material and the other of more rigid plastic for enhanced grip.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vibration-isolating insert is made of harder material to provide better anchoring, then the retaining force is improved, but the bending resistance increases making it difficult to adapt to annular shapes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveretaining forceVSAvoidadaptability to annular shape
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The insert is segmented into two distinct material zones: a softer vibration-isolating material (rubber or thermoplastic elastomer) forming the main body, and discrete harder plastic hooks positioned at regular intervals along the lateral edges. This segmentation allows the softer material to provide flexibility for bending to annular shapes while the discrete harder hooks provide anchoring retention without contributing significantly to overall bending resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the insert have different material properties: the main body uses softer vibration-isolating material for flexibility and vibration isolation, while discrete hooks use harder plastics material for anchoring. This local differentiation of material quality allows each region to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the overall adaptability of the insert

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the insert material is made softer to improve adaptability to annular shapes, then the ease of installation is improved, but the retaining force decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to annular shapeVSAvoidretaining force
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The insert is segmented into two distinct material zones: a softer vibration-isolating material (rubber or thermoplastic elastomer) forming the main body, and discrete harder plastic hooks positioned at regular intervals along the lateral edges. This segmentation allows the softer material to provide flexibility for bending to annular shapes while the discrete harder hooks provide anchoring retention without contributing significantly to overall bending resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the insert have different material properties: the main body uses softer vibration-isolating material for flexibility and vibration isolation, while discrete hooks use harder plastics material for anchoring. This local differentiation of material quality allows each region to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the overall adaptability of the insert

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If discrete hooks are added to provide retaining means, then the anchoring is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveanchoringVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insert is segmented into two distinct material zones: a softer vibration-isolating material (rubber or thermoplastic elastomer) forming the main body, and discrete harder plastic hooks positioned at regular intervals along the lateral edges. This segmentation allows the softer material to provide flexibility for bending to annular shapes while the discrete harder hooks provide anchoring retention without contributing significantly to overall bending resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The discrete plastic hooks are integrated directly into the vibration-isolating strip structure, with hooks positioned adjacent to lateral edges and interconnected by connecting bridges formed from the same plastics material. This merging combines the anchoring function and the structural continuity without requiring separate components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective anchoring

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution reduces the risk of displacement during pipe installation and enhances retention within the pipe clip body, ensuring secure positioning and easy adaptation to various pipe diameters by balancing bending resistance and retaining force.

Implementation Method 1

The bending resistance in longitudinal direction is determined by the continuous part of the insert. Because the hooks are discrete items positioned at regular intervals, they have no or only a relatively small contribution to the bending resistance in the longitudinal direction of the insert. The bending resistance of the insert is thus mainly determined by the strip of vibration isolating insert, which is made from a 'softer' material such as rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The friction between the pipe surface and the insert may cause the insert to be pulled out of the pipe clip body.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

Vibration isolating insert for a pipe clip... an elongate strip of vibration-isolating material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3204681B1Vibration isolating insert for a pipe clip
Publication Date: 2019.08.21 J VAN WALRAVEN HLDG BV
  • EP3204681B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3204681B1 patent drawingFigure 4~7

AI summary

A vibration-isolating insert for a pipe clip is adapted to bear against an inner circumference of a substantially annular pipe clip body and ultimately -in use -to be positioned between the outer circumference of a pipe and the pipe clip body. The vibration- isolating insert comprises an elongate strip of vibration-isolating material which has a pipe facing side and a pipe clip facing side. The strip of vibration-isolating material has adjacent either lateral edge thereof a series of discrete exposed hooks of plastics material which is more rigid than the vibration-isolating material. The hooks protrude relative to the pipe clip facing side of the strip of vibration-isolating material.