Patent Publication Number: US-2023142348-A1

Title: Stress relief adapters and stress relief adapter systems

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to stress relief systems and apparatuses and, particularly, to stress relief systems and apparatuses for industrial applications. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Conduits can be used to route resources from one location to another. For example, conduits can be used to route resources such as fluids, electrical power, data lines as well as other resources. The resources can be provided within a separate conduit or protective casing, and the resources can extend through a central passage of the conduit. The conduit provides grouping and a protective barrier for the resources. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A first aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a stress relief adapter. The stress relief adapter may include a body defining a central passage extending along and concentrically disposed about a central longitudinal axis. The body may include a first end portion that includes a plurality of apertures that are circumferentially arranged about the central longitudinal axis and extend transversely relative to the central longitudinal axis; a tapered portion that tapers about and along the central longitudinal axis; and a first grooved portion disposed between the first end portion and the tapered portion. 
     A second aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a stress relief adapter system. The stress relief adapter may include a cylindrical conduit. The cylindrical conduit may include a first end, a second end, a first central passage extending from the first end to the second end, a first central longitudinal axis extending along the central passage, an exterior surface, and a plurality of annular grooves formed in the exterior surface and extending circumferentially about the first central longitudinal axis. The stress relief adapter system may also include an adapter removably secured to the one of the first end or the second end of the conduit. The adapter may include an interior surface defining a second central passage, a second longitudinal axis extending along the second central passage, and a plurality of ribs formed on the interior surface. The plurality of ribs may extend circumferentially about the second longitudinal axis. Each of the plurality of ribs may be received into one of the plurality of grooves of the cylindrical conduit. The adapter may also include an end portion disposed at a first end of the adapter. The end portion may include a plurality of axially extending platforms, an annular ring portion coupled to ends of the plurality of axially extending platforms, and a plurality of apertures formed between adjacent platforms. The plurality of apertures may be circumferentially arranged about the second central longitudinal axis and extend transversely relative to the second central longitudinal axis. The adapter may also include a first grooved portion disposed adjacent to the end portion and a tapered portion formed at a second end of the adapter. The first grooved portion may include a first annular groove formed in an exterior surface of the adapter and may extend circumferentially about the second longitudinal axis. The first annular groove may have a first diameter. The tapered portion may taper inwardly along the second longitudinal axis from the first grooved portion to the second end of the adapter. The stress relief adapter system may also include a clamp received into the first annular groove of the first grooved portion. 
     The various aspects may include one or more of the following features. A longitudinally extending slit may be formed in the body of an adapter. The body may be formed from is thermoplastic polyurethane. The body may have a cylindrical shape. The central passage may have a cylindrical shape. The body may include an interior surface defining at least one rib extending circumferentially about the central longitudinal axis. The at least one rib may extend inwardly from the body towards the central longitudinal axis. The at least one rib may include a plurality of ribs separated axially along the central longitudinal axis. The plurality of apertures may extend through the body between an interior surface of the body and an exterior surface of the body. The plurality of apertures may be equiangularly displaced about the central longitudinal axis. The body may also include a second grooved portion formed between the first end portion and the first grooved portion. The first grooved portion may define a first annular groove formed in an exterior surface of the body that extends circumferentially about the central longitudinal axis. The first annular groove may have a first diameter. The second grooved portion may define a second annular groove formed in the exterior surface of the body and extend circumferentially about the central longitudinal axis. The second annular groove may have a second diameter. The second diameter may be greater than the first diameter. The body may also include an exterior surface and a plurality of annular ribs formed on the exterior surface along the tapered portion. The plurality of annular ribs may extend outwardly from the exterior surface and circumferentially about the central longitudinal axis. The first end portion may taper inwardly along and relative to the central longitudinal axis from a location adjacent to the first grooved portion towards an end of the body. The central passage may be sized and shaped to accept a cylindrical conduit. 
     The various aspects may include one or more of the following features. The adapter may include a slit extending from the interior surface to the exterior surface. The clamp may apply a clamping force that closes the slit and forces the plurality of ribs formed on the interior surface of the adapter into the plurality of grooves of the cylindrical conduit. The end portion of the adapter may taper inwardly from a location adjacent to the first grooved portion to the first end of the adapter. The adapter may also include a second grooved portion disposed between the end portion and the first grooved portion. The second grooved portion may include a second annular grooved formed in the exterior surface and extending circumferentially about the second longitudinal axis. The second annular groove may be sized and shaped to receive a second clamp. The second annular groove may have a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The tapered portion of the adapter may include at least one rib extending circumferentially about the second longitudinal axis. A second clamp may be disposed on the exterior surface of the adapter and abut the at least one rib. 
     Other features and aspects will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description of the drawings refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG.  1    is an oblique view of an example stress relief adapter system, according to some implementations of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is detail view of the stress relief adapter system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of an adapter and a conduit received into the adapter passing through a central, longitudinal axis of the adapter and conduit, according to some implementations of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is an oblique view of an example adapter, according to some implementations of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is an oblique view of the adapter of  FIG.  4   . 
         FIG.  6    is a detailed cross-sectional view of a portion of the adapter of  FIG.  3    taken along an indicated plane. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the implementations illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is intended. Any alterations and further modifications to the described devices, systems, or methods and any further application of the principles of the present disclosure are fully contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates. In particular, it is fully contemplated that the features, components, and/or steps described with respect to one implementation may be combined with the features, components, and/or steps described with respect to other implementations of the present disclosure. 
     The present disclosure is directed to stress relief adapters and stress relief adapter systems and, particularly, to stress relief adapters for industrial applications, such as for routing conduits in robotic environments. However, the scope of the disclosure is not so limited and is applicable to other applications and environments in which conduit routing is desired. 
     Conduits, such as routing conduits, subjected to bending tend to experience increased stresses at an end of the conduits, such as where the conduit connects to an object or where one or more items passing though the conduit extend therebeyond. At the ends, the conduits may kink and become damaged, thereby diminishing the performance or eliminating the utility of the conduits. Further, where a conduit is associated with a working machine, damage to the conduit necessitates maintenance, causing machine downtime, reduced efficiency, and increased costs. These problems may be exacerbated where the conduits provides a passage for routing other conduits, such as power cables, hydraulic lines, coolant lines, data cables, optical cables, or a combination of different cables. To avoid these problems, the present disclosure provides stress relief adapters that are couplable to an end of a conduit. The adapters distributes stresses, e.g., bending stresses, of the conduit along a length of the adapter where the two are coupled together. The adapters of the present disclosure also provide connected mounting locations for securing other components, e.g., other conduits, cables, wires, etc., extending through the conduit to which the adapter is connected. 
     Further, the adapters are flexible. That is, while increasing a rigidity of an end portion of a conduit (e.g., a length of a conduit to which the adapter is attached), the adapter is capable of controlled bending in response in response to applied loads, e.g., applied bending loads. As such, the adapter is deformable in a controlled way in response to loading in order to reduce stresses introduced into a conduit. As a result, stresses, such as bending stresses, occurring at an end of a conduit are distributed along a length of the adapter, thereby reducing or eliminating the risk of kinking of the conduit, such as during manipulation of the conduit. In some implementation, adapters within the scope of the present disclosure have a durometer Shore Hardness within a range of 80A and 90A. However, depending on a particular application, a durometer Shore Hardness may be above or below this range. In response to loads, the adapter reduces an amount of distortion, e.g., bending, experienced by the conduit as a result of the shape of and material forming the adapter. While the adapter reduces an amount of deflection or distortion of the conduit, the adapter is deformable, which acts to control an amount of deflection or distortion experienced by the conduit to which the adapter is attached. Consequently, with reduced deflection or distortion, internal stresses of the conduit are reduced, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the conduit, such as by kinking. Further, as described in more detail below, an amount of deflection or distortion of the adapter is controlled by construction of the adapter, such as a tapered portion that has a changing cross-sectional thickness. The tapered cross-sectional size of the tapered portion controls an amount of deflection or distortion permitted by the adapter and, thus, the portion of the conduit coupled to the adapter. 
     Adapters within the scope of the present disclosure are applicable to industrial applications. For example, adapters within the scope of the present disclosure are used in robotic applications to protect and maintain ends of conduits used to carry resources to a robot. For example, in some instances, a conduit carries resources such as fluid (e.g., a coolant), data (e.g., a data cable), light (e.g., an optical fiber or cable), or a power (e.g., an electrical power cable). One or more of these or other resources are routed through the conduit to the robot in the form of one or more cable, lines, conduits, or other components. 
     Further, as a result of motion, such as motion of a robot, a shape of the conduit carrying one or more resources changes (contained within, for example, another conduit or cable), and, in response, the conduit experiences bending stresses that tend to kink or otherwise damage the ends of the conduit particularly, for example, at ends of the conduit. Adapters and systems described herein reduce resulting stresses produced within a conduit as a result of the applied loading. 
       FIGS.  1  through  3    show an example stress relief adapter system  100  that includes a conduit  102  defining central passage  104 . An adapter  106  is coupled to an end portion  108  of the conduit  102  and secured thereto. The conduit  102  is received into a central passage  110  defined by the adapter  106 . 
     In the illustrated example, the conduit  102  has a cylindrical shape and is flexible so as to flex and bend in response to applied loads and displacement to the conduit  102  at one or more locations therealong. The central passage  104  is similarly cylindrical. More particularly, in the illustrated example, the conduit  102  and the associated central passage  104  have cylindrical shapes with circular cross-sectional shapes. In other implementations, the cross-sectional shapes of the conduit  102  and the central passage  104  may be different, such as an elliptical cross-sectional shape. 
     The central passage  104  defines a central, longitudinal axis  112 . The central passage  104  provides for routing of various resources, such as one or more other conduits, cables, wires, optical fibers, etc., therethrough. Generally, the various resources are in the form of elongated, flexible components  114  that are able to bend and conform to changes in shape of the conduit  102 , such as during movement of the conduit  102 . 
     In some implementations, the conduit  102  includes a plurality of grooves  116 , as illustrated in  FIGS.  3  through  5   . For example, in some instances, the conduit  102  is corrugated along a portion or along an entirety of the conduit  102 . The one or more of the grooves  116  formed in the conduit  102  interlocks with one or more ribs  118  formed on an interior surface  120  of the adapter  106  that defines the central passage  110 . In the illustrated example, the ribs  118  form annular rings extending circumferentially about the longitudinal axis  112 . The ribs  118  extend inwardly from the interior surface  120 . In other implementations, the ribs  118  may have other orientations or configurations to align with and be received into the grooves  116  formed in the conduit  102 . The interlocking between the ribs  118  and the grooves  116  secures the adapter  106  and the conduit  102  relative to each other. 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , the adapter  106  includes a body  401  having an end portion  400 , a first grooved portion  402 , a second grooved portion  404 , and a tapered portion  406 . In the illustrated example, the end portion  400  tapers inwardly from a first location  408  adjacent to the first grooved portion to a first end  410  of the adapter  106 . As also shown, the taper of the end portion  400  is a curved, as illustrated in the detailed cross-sectional view of  FIG.  6   . The cross-sectional view of  FIG.  6    is taken along plane  300 , shown in  FIG.  3   . The plane  300  passes through the longitudinal axis  112 . In other implementations, the end portion  400  has a linear taper. In some implementations, the body  401  is formed from a material having a durometer Shore Hardness of between 80 A and 90 A. In some implementations, the hardness of the material forming the body  401  may be greater or less than the indicated range depending, for example, on application (e.g., an amount of desired flex based upon, for example, an amount of movement expected to be experienced by the adapter  106 ). In some implementations, the body  401  is formed from thermoplastic polyurethane, such as NinjaFlex® produced by Fenner, Inc., of 311 West Stiegel Street, Manheim, Pennsylvania 17545 USA. However, in other implementations, the body  401  is formed from other materials. A material used to form the body  401  may depend upon, for example, an environment in which the adapter  106  is to be placed, an ambient temperature, an ambient chemical composition, or an amount of movement expected to be experienced by the adapter  106 . 
     The end portion  400  also includes an annular ring portion  412  disposed at the first end  410  of the adapter  106  and a plurality of longitudinally extending platforms  414  that connect to the annular ring  412 . The plane  300  extends through one of the platforms  414 . A plurality of apertures  416  are formed between adjacent platforms  414 , bounded by the annular ring portion  412  and the first grooved portion  402 . In the illustrated example, the apertures  416  are arranged circumferentially and extend radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis and through the body  401 . Thus, in some implementations, the apertures  416  extend transversely relative to the longitudinal axis  112 . The apertures  416  and platforms  414  provide mounting locations for clamps  121 , such as wire wraps or cable ties (e.g., zip ties), that are used to secure the flexible components  106  extending through the central passage  104  of the conduit  102  and central passage  110  of the adapter  106 . For example, a clamp  121  extends through adjacent apertures  416  and around a platform  414  to capture and secure a flexible component  114  to the adapter  106 . In other implementations, a clamp  121  extends through apertures  416  that are not adjacent, such as to secure a plurality of flexible components  114  to the adapter  106 . In the illustrated example of  FIG.  1   , the clamps  121  are zip ties. However, as explained above, other types of clamps can be used. In the illustrated example, the apertures  416  have a rectangular cross-sectional shape. However, in other implementations, the apertures  416  can have other cross-sectional shapes, such as circular, oval, triangular, or square. Further, in the illustrated example, the apertures have an equiangular displacement about the longitudinal axis  112 . That is, in some implementations, an angular displacement between adjacent apertures is equal. In other implementations, the apertures have a non-uniform circumferential arrangement. Further, although the apertures  416  are identically shaped and sized, in other implementations, the sizes and shapes of the apertures  416  may vary. 
     The adapter  106  also includes a slit  418  extending along an entirety of the body  401 . In the illustrated example, the slit  418  extends parallel to the longitudinal axis  418 . In other implementations, the slit  418  may have other arrangements. For example, in some instances, at least part of the slit  418  defines a spiral shape about the longitudinal axis  112 . Because the material forming the adapter  106  is pliable, sides  420  of the body  401  bordering the slit  418  are displaceable, providing an opening along the length L of the adapter  106 . This opening provides access to the central passage  110  of the adapter  106  that facilitates insertion and removal of the conduit  102 . For example, by separating the sides  420 , a user is able to align the grooves  116  formed in the conduit  102  with the ribs  118  formed on the interior surface  120  of the adapter  106 . Further, also due to the material forming the adapter  106 , release of the sides  420  of the body  401  causes the adapter  106  to return to the initial shape, thereby closing the opening. 
     The first grooved portion  402  includes a groove  422  formed in an exterior surface  424  of the adapter  106 . The groove  422  extends along a portion of a length L of the adapter  106 . In the illustrated example, the groove  422  has a cylindrical, annular base  426  formed about the longitudinal axis  112 . The base  426  is bounded by adjacent sides  428 . In the illustrated example, the sides  428  are oriented perpendicularly to the base  428 . The groove  422  is sized and shaped to receive a clamp  123 . Example clamps  123  include hinged clamps, wire wraps, or wire ties (e.g., a zip ties), as shown in  FIG.  1   ; wires; or cables. The second grooved portion  404  also includes a groove  430  formed in the exterior surface  424  and extending along a portion of the length L of the adapter  106 . The groove  430  has a cylindrical, annular base  432  formed about the longitudinal axis  112 . The base  432  is bounded by adjacent sides  434 . The annular base  426  of the groove  422  defines a first diameter, and the annular base  432  of the groove  430  defines a second diameter. In the illustrated example, the first diameter is larger than the second diameter. 
     The groove  430  is sized and shaped to receive a clamp  122 , such as a hinged clamp as shown in  FIGS.  1  through  3   . In the illustrated example, the clamp  122  includes opposing sides  124  connected at a hinge  126  and a releasable latch  128  that operates to secure the sides  124  together. In some implementations, the clamp  122  is formed of metal. In some implementations, exterior surfaces  130  of the sides  124  are flush with the exterior surface  424  of the adapter  106  when the clamp  122  is in a locked configuration in which the sides  124  are secured together by the latch  128 . In some implementations, the exterior surface  424  of the adapter  106  includes reliefs  436  to accommodate a shape of the hinge  126 , such as a pin  132  of the hinge  126 . The clamp  122 , along with other clamp devices provided on the adapter  106 , such as the clamp  123  received into the groove  422  of the first grooved portion  402 , function to close the slit  418  and secure the adapter  106  to the conduit  102 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG.  3   , the tapered portion  406  tapers inwardly from the second grooved portion  404  to a second end  438 . The tapered portion  406  tapers about and along the longitudinal axis  112 . In the illustrated example, the tapered portion  406  has a cross-sectional shape that has a curved tapering shape, as shown in  FIG.  3   . In other implementations, the tapered portion  406  linearly tapers from along the longitudinal axis  112 . The tapered portion  406  provides stress relief to the conduit  102 . As a result of the changing cross-sectional shape of the tapered portion  406 , and amount of bending along the tapered portion  406  varies as a result of the changing cross-sectional thickness of the tapered portion  406 . As the cross-sectional thickness (as measured along a cross-section defined by a plane passing perpendicularly through the longitudinal axis  112 ) increases, a reduced amount of flexing (e.g., bending) of the adapter  106  is permitted. Consequently, an amount of bending by which the conduit  102  is permitted along an interface between the adapter  106  and the conduit  102  correspondingly varies. As a result, an amount of bending of and stresses within the conduit  102  along and adjacent to the adapter  106  are controlled compared to stresses that would exist were the adapter  106  to be omitted from the conduit  102 . 
     In some instances, the tapered portion  406  includes annularly ribs  440  extending circumferentially about the longitudinal axis  112 . The ribs  440  provide an abutment for additional clamps  134 , such as wire wraps, wire ties (e.g., zip ties), wire, cable, or other types of clamping devices. In some instances, the clamps  134  rest against the ribs  440 . With a positional relationship of the clamps  134  and ribs  440  illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the ribs  440  prevent movement of the securing devices  134  in a direction along the central longitudinal axis  112  towards the ribs  440 . Example securing devices  134  are shown in  FIG.  1   . As explained earlier, the clamps  122 ,  123 , and  134  cooperate to close the slit  418  and secure the adapter  106  to the conduit  102 . 
     Without in any way limiting the scope, interpretation, or application of the claims appearing below, a technical effect of one or more of the example implementations disclosed herein is decreased stress and increased durability of an adapter and portion of a conduit engaged by the adapter, particularly during the course of articulation of the conduit, such as during movements of a robot. Another technical effect of one or more of the example implementations disclosed herein is increased durability of mounting locations of adapters to which flexible components extending through a conduit are attached to the adapter. 
     While the above describes example implementations of the present disclosure, these descriptions should not be viewed in a limiting sense. Rather, other variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.