Waterjet Coil-to-Hose Guide for Vertical Motion Constraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-pressure waterjet cutting systems face component failure due to stress and wear in fluid delivery systems, particularly in high-speed and high-acceleration movements, where tubing coils experience bending and vibration stresses, and flexible hoses suffer from twisting and compression loads.
Innovation Solution
A system with a high-pressure tubing coil and a guide to restrain the interface connector assembly for vertical movement, minimizing lateral and longitudinal stress, and using a biasing system to return the coil to its nominal position, reducing stress on the tubing and hose fittings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible hose is used to deliver high pressure fluid to the moving cutter head, then the system can accommodate the two-dimensional movement of the cutter head, but large bending loads and twisting moments are imposed on the hose and fittings leading to premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid delivery system is segmented into three distinct components: a rigid tubing coil for vertical movement, a flexible hose for lateral/longitudinal movement, and a guide mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific movement types, preventing the flexible hose from bearing bending and twisting loads it cannot withstand.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide mechanism acts as an intermediary between the tubing coil and the flexible hose, constraining the interface connector assembly to vertical movement only. This intermediary prevents the flexible hose from experiencing harmful lateral and longitudinal stresses while still allowing the cutter head to move freely in two dimensions.
2Speed
If a tubing coil is used to accommodate the movement of the cutter head, then the system can handle high-speed movement, but bending stresses and vibrations in the coil lead to component failure
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing the tubing coil to move freely in two dimensions with the cutter head, the invention inverts the approach by constraining the coil to vertical movement only through the guide mechanism. This eliminates the harmful bending stresses and vibrations that would occur with lateral movement, while still accommodating the necessary movement range.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide mechanism provides localized constraint at the interface connector assembly, allowing the tubing coil to maintain its coiled structure for shock absorption while preventing it from experiencing bending stresses. The constraint is applied only where necessary (at the coil-hose interface) without restricting the overall functionality of the system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the interface connector assembly is allowed to move freely with the cutter head, then the system can accommodate all movements, but lateral and longitudinal stresses are imposed on the tubing coil leading to failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts to cutter head movement by allowing the tubing coil to expand and contract vertically within the guide mechanism. The guide constrains the movement to the vertical dimension where the coil can dynamically adjust its length without experiencing bending stresses, while the flexible hose handles lateral/longitudinal movements.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid delivery/connector system (26) includes a high pressure tubular coil (30) connected to the upper end of a flexible hose (32) by an interface connector assembly (34) which is movable in the up-and-down directions to accommodate the movement of the lower end of the flexible hose which is connected to the nozzle assembly (22) of a fluid cutter system (20). The interface connector assembly (34) is mounted on a guideway (72) which enables the interface connector assembly to travel in an up-and-down direction to accommodate the movement of the nozzle assembly (22).