System and method for a practical synthetic fiber tension member to rod connection
OwnerRichard V. Campbellinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for creating a hybrid tensile member combining a synthetic fiber cable and a rigid rod. An anchor is attached to one or more ends of the synthetic cable. The anchor is used to connect an end of the fiber cable to a length of conventional rod, preferably through the use of a swaging operation. Each rod segment includes a standard end feature on its free end—such as a threaded shaft or J-bend. The hybrid assembly can preferably be retrofitted to applications that now use a conventional rod.
Claims26
A method for creating a hybrid assembly of a rod segment and a flexible synthetic tensile member, comprising:
- (a) providing a rod segment having a first rod end and a second rod end, with said second rod end including a standard end feature;
- (b) providing said synthetic tensile member made of a plurality of individual filaments, said synthetic tensile member having a synthetic tensile member end;
- (c) providing an anchor, including,
- (i) proximal region,
- (ii) a distal region,
- (iii) a potting cavity proximate said proximal region, wherein said potting cavity expands in a distal direction,
- (iv) an extended distal wall,
- (v) a cavity enclosed by said extended distal wall, said cavity proximate said distal region;
- (d) placing a length of said filaments of said synthetic tensile member proximate said synthetic tensile member end into said potting cavity;
- (e) infusing said length of filaments with a liquid potting compound;
- (f) maintaining said length of filaments within said potting compound within said potting cavity until said liquid potting compound transitions to a solid, thereby creating a solidified potted region within said anchor;
- (g) placing said first rod end within said cavity enclosed by said extended distal wall and distal to said solidified potted region;
- and
- (h) swaging said extended distal wall inward against said first rod end in order to connect said anchor to said rod segment.
A method for creating a hybrid assembly of a rod segment and a flexible synthetic tensile member, comprising:
- (a) providing a rod segment having a first rod end and a second rod end, with said second rod end including a standard end feature;
- (b) providing said synthetic tensile member made of a plurality of individual filaments, said synthetic tensile member having a synthetic tensile member end;
- (c) providing an anchor, including an extended distal wall, an expanding potting cavity, and a cavity that is distal to said expanding potting cavity;
- (d) connecting said anchor to said synthetic tensile member end of said synthetic tensile member by potting a length of said plurality of individual filaments into said expanding potting cavity, thereby creating a solidified potted region within said anchor;
- (e) placing said first rod end within said cavity and distal to said solidified potted region;
- and
- (f) swaging said extended distal wall inward against said first rod end in order to connect said anchor to said rod segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.