Wire Gripper Weight Distribution and Inversion Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wire grippers are difficult to use at height due to their weight and design, making it hard for workers to easily and safely attach and detach them from electric wires, especially when thicker for mechanical strength, increasing the risk of accidents.

Innovation Solution

A wire gripper design with a weight distribution that allows easier lifting, featuring a coupling member with a ring portion and a thumb hooking portion, and a grasp portion for single-handed operation, enabling secure attachment and detachment without excessive strain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the wire gripper is made thicker to increase mechanical strength, then the strength is improved, but the weight increases making it difficult to use at height

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidweight of wire gripper
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing thickening portions only at specific locations (linear body pressing portion, linear body holding portion, and coupling member) rather than making the entire gripper thick. This localized reinforcement provides necessary mechanical strength at critical stress points while keeping the overall weight lower, enabling easier handling at height.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If the wire gripper design includes a ring portion for finger hooking, then the ease of operation is improved, but the weight distribution becomes unbalanced making it difficult to raise the tip end

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of grippingVSAvoidweight distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional design by positioning the ring portion at the coupling member (rear end) rather than at the tip end, and provides a thumb hooking portion at the tip end instead. This reversal of hooking element positions creates balanced weight distribution that facilitates raising the tip end while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Strength

If the wire gripper is designed for two-handed operation, then the mechanical strength and control are improved, but the ease of operation at height is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol stabilityVSAvoidease of single-handed operation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple gripping functions into a single hand operation by providing both a ring portion for finger hooking and a thumb hooking portion on the coupling member. This combination allows the user to securely grip and operate the wire gripper with one hand, eliminating the need for two-handed operation while maintaining control stability.

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 wire gripper facilitates safer and easier operation at height by allowing single-handed gripping and reduced strain, improving worker safety and efficiency in attaching and detaching from wires.

Implementation Method 1

a larger weight is allocated to the wire gripper body member, the operating member, and the movable gripping body member than the coupling member to thus establish weight distribution whereby a more weight is allocated in a part in which the coupling member is pushed back than in a part in which the coupling member is pulled

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWeight distribution: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3402022B1Wire gripper
Publication Date: 2022.11.09 NAGAKI SEIKI CO LTD
  • EP3402022B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3402022B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3402022B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a wire gripper that can make it easier to lift its tip being grasped by fingers. A wire gripper 10 includes: a wire gripper body member 12 including a fixed gripping body 20 and a coupling member guide 26; an operating member 14 pivotably mounted to the wire gripper body member 12; a movable gripping body member 16 including a linear body holding portion 22; and a coupling member 18 coupled to the operating member 14 through a rotary shaft 72 for pivotally moving the operating member 14, wherein a larger weight is allocated to the wire gripper body member 12, the operating member 14, and the movable gripping body member 16 than the coupling member 18 to thus establish weight distribution whereby a more weight is allocated in a direction in which the coupling member 18 is pushed back than in a direction in which the coupling member 18 is pulled; a grasp portion 500 for grasping the wire gripper is provided in a region near the center of gravity and on the pulling side of the coupling member 18; and the grasp portion 500 is composed of a coupling member body of the coupling member 18 and the coupling member guide 26 provided projecting downward at the pulling side of the wire gripper body member 12, the grasp portion being formed so that the grasp portion can be grasped by a finger and / or a palm.