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do-it-yourself

Tube Sealing Device

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The Tube Sealing Device is a concretion project, where students make products together with a person with a disability. These products solve problems that they experience because of their disability. For the tube sealing aid, the creators worked together with Anthony. Anthony is 26 years old and he has a mild mental disability and problems with fine motor control. He works in a sheltered workshop where they make chocolates.

His job is to fill tubes and close them. Because of his problems with fine motor control he is having troubles closing the tubes with the current tool. It takes in a lot of time and he result is skew and never the same. The tube sealer is the answer to this problem. While doing some research, the creators saw that the problem can be divided into 2 actions. First the tube is sealed on top, afterwards the edge is folded twice. This made us realize that 2 tools could be necessary to solve the problem. For Anthony it is easier to remember what he has to do, if he has different tools for different steps.

How the Tube Sealer Works: First after filling, 7 tubes are placed in a holder. Then they are closed on top with one simple move. After this every tube is folded separately with the folder, and placed in a different holder. As last the tubes are placed in the closer again to make the sealing tighter. With the tube sealing aid Anthony has the ability to close the tubes by himself. The result Is fast, clean, straight and all tubes are closed on the same height.

Materials (in this case):

  • Wood MDF and plywood
  • Hinges
  • Screws

You can choose different materials depending on the use. For Anthony the wood will be replaced with solid volkern, to respect the food safety regulations.

Tools:

  • Drill
  • Drill bit, diameter of the tubes
  • Saw
  • Milling machine or dremel
  • Cutter
  • Sandpaper
  • Screw driver
Technical Specifications: 

Step 1: Parts for the tube folding

PART 1 & 2: The easiest way is to make part 1 and 2 in one time and after milling cut in two parts (see drawing). The two parts will be nicely aligned. Dimensions x and y can be define by you and Z is dependent on the material thickness.

  • L = length of the tube
  • D = diameter of the tube
  • X = min. 2 x the length of the hinges + Diameter
  • Y = min. Length

PART 3: Small hinges with matching screws.

PART 4: PVC, thickness 1 millimeters.

Step 2: Assembly of the tube folding

The PVC sheet is at the front of part 2 and fixed with screws.

Part 1 and 2 are put together with hinges. 

Step 3: Parts of the tube sealing

PART 5: The milling rectangle has the dimensions of part 8 and is 2 mm deep.

PART 6 (2x): Min. length of the tube x length of part 8 x thickness of the material.

PART 7 (2x): Min. length of the tube x min. width part 8 x 18 millimeters.

PART 8: Bar with some holes for the tubes. The holes = diameter tube.

PART 9 (2x): Hinges.

Step 4: Assembly of the tube sealing

Connect part 6 and 7 together, please refer to diagram.

Connect part 5 to 6 and 7 with a hinge.

Available

Price Check
Price: 
0.00
as of: 
07/29/2016
Seller(s): 
Tube sealing device