Waveguide Clamp With Movable Abutting Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional waveguide connecting apparatuses face poor workability due to the need for additional components and processes, such as forming tapered faces on flanges, which increases complexity and requires special waveguides, making it difficult to connect standard waveguides efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A waveguide connecting clamp with movable abutting members that engage with inclined faces of a pressing member, allowing for easy alignment and connection without pre-positioning, and optionally using a biasing unit and polytetrafluoroethylene for smooth movement, enabling connection of standard waveguides without specialized components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tapered faces are formed on the opposite side of mating faces of flanges to enable connection, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and workability deteriorate due to requiring additional tapered-face forming members and special waveguides
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of modifying the waveguide flanges to have tapered faces, the invention inverts the approach by providing tapered faces on the abutting members of the clamp itself. This allows the clamp to accommodate standard flat-faced waveguide flanges while still achieving reliable tapered-face connection mechanics.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp is designed to be universally applicable to standard waveguide flanges without requiring specialized tapered-face waveguides. The abutting members with tapered faces can engage with conventional flat flanges, making the connection device compatible with existing waveguide inventories while improving connection reliability.
2Reliability
If tapered-face forming members are separately positioned to provide tapered faces on flanges, then connection reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional positioning work and increased number of parts
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the tapered-face providing function directly into the clamp structure through the abutting members. Instead of using separate tapered-face forming members that require independent positioning, the tapered faces are integrated into the clamp's connection mechanism, eliminating additional positioning steps and simplifying operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The abutting members with tapered faces automatically engage with the flat flanges during clamp installation. The tapered geometry of the abutting members self-aligns and guides the connection process, eliminating the need for operators to separately position or adjust tapered-face forming members.
3Ease of operation
If special waveguides with tapered faces are used to improve workability, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability deteriorates as existing typical waveguides cannot be used
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than requiring waveguides to have tapered faces, the invention places the tapered faces on the clamp's abutting members. This inversion allows the clamp to adapt to standard flat-faced waveguide flanges, maintaining versatility with existing waveguide inventories while achieving the operational simplicity of tapered-face connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp design with tapered abutting members provides universal compatibility with standard waveguide flanges. The same clamp can connect various typical waveguides with flat flanges, eliminating the need for specialized tapered-face waveguides and maintaining adaptability across different waveguide types.
4Manufacturing precision
If abutting members are held fixed relative to flanges, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring pre-positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The abutting members are designed to be movable relative to the clamp body during installation, allowing them to self-align with the waveguide flanges through the tapered engagement surfaces. Once positioned, they maintain stable contact. This dynamic capability eliminates the need for pre-positioning while ensuring accurate alignment during the connection process.
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
This configuration simplifies the connection process, improving workability by eliminating the need for pre-positioning and specialized waveguides, while reducing friction and energy loss during fastening, thus facilitating efficient waveguide connections.
Implementation Method 1
At least one of: the third faces of the abutting members; and the inclined faces of the pressing member, which engage with the third faces of the abutting members, may be made of polytetrafluoroethylene.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
[Problem] To provide a waveguide connecting apparatus with which workability can be easily improved. [Solution] A waveguide connecting apparatus including two waveguide connecting clamps 1 each including: a pair of clamp pieces 11 that are to be positioned so as to oppose each other and sandwich outer peripheral portions of flanges 20 that are positioned so as to oppose each other; and a fastening unit that presses the pair of clamp pieces 11 against the outer peripheral portions of the flanges 20. Each clamp piece 1 includes: two abutting members 111 respectively having first faces that abut against faces that are on the opposite side of faces that oppose each other of the flanges 20 that are positioned so as to oppose each other, second faces that abut against side faces of the waveguides, and third faces that serve as tapered faces of the flanges 20, on the opposite side of the faces that oppose each other; and a pressing member 112 with a substantially V-shaped cross section, having two inclined faces that engage with the respective third faces of the abutting members 111, and holding the two abutting members 111 such that the two abutting members 111 are respectively movable in the directions of inclination of the inclined faces with which the two abutting members 111 respectively engage, and the two waveguide connecting clamps 1 are positioned such that directions in which the pairs of clamp pieces 11 oppose each other intersect each other.