Groove fixing and sealing structure

Abstract

The invention relates to a groove fixing and sealing structure which comprises a supporting ring, a first locking ring and a second locking ring, and an annular groove is formed in the connecting end of a pipe fitting to be connected; the two sides of the supporting ring are embedded into inner cavities of the two to-be-connected pipe fittings respectively, and first elastic sealing pieces are arranged between the supporting ring and the inner walls of the to-be-connected pipe fittings. The number of the first locking rings is two, and the two first locking rings are installed on the annular grooves of the two to-be-connected pipe fittings correspondingly. The second locking ring is arranged on the outer side of the first locking ring in a sleeving mode and connected with the first locking rings on the two sides in a fastened mode. By means of the groove firmness and sealing structure, two to-be-connected pipe fittings can be connected in a sealed mode, and the sealing effect is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a pipe connection structure, specifically a grooved and sealing structure. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of fluid transport pipeline connection, grooved fastening and sealing structure is one of the mainstream solutions for achieving rapid pipe connection. The specific implementation process of its traditional technology is as follows: First, the support ring is embedded into the inner side of the pipe ends of the two pipes to be connected, thereby strengthening the deformation resistance of the pipe ends; then, the annular sealing ring is placed at the center of the connection between the two pipes, so that the sealing ring and the pipe end face form an initial sealing contact interface; then, two or more semi-annular fastening rings are used to fasten and wrap around the outside of the pipe connection point in pairs; finally, the fastening rings are fastened into a closed loop structure by locking screws to complete the overall connection assembly.

[0003] The working mechanism of the above-mentioned traditional solution can be divided into two core dimensions: First, the locking ring in the closed loop acts as the external support skeleton of the sealing ring. When the sealing ring is subjected to the water pressure inside the pipeline, the greater the supporting force of the locking ring, the stronger the self-locking reaction force of the sealing ring and the pipe contact surface, thereby achieving a sealing effect. Second, under the locking force of the screw, the locking ring forms a radial compression on the pipe body and the support ring, minimizing the gap between the locking ring and the support ring, so that sufficient friction is formed between the pipe end groove and the locking ring, thereby achieving a reliable connection between the two pipes and preventing the pipes from separating when subjected to external force or internal pressure.

[0004] However, the aforementioned traditional fastening and sealing methods have several drawbacks:

[0005] 1. Due to the complex shape and structure of the fastening ring, the mainstream production process is casting. If die casting or stamping is used, there will be problems such as complicated procedures, high costs and limited production capacity. At the same time, the metallographic structure of the fastening ring is coarse and loose, and the structural strength is relatively low. In order to ensure the stress performance, the thickness of the component needs to be increased, which further exacerbates the contradiction between weight and cost.

[0006] 2. The locking ring relies on screws to form a closed loop. The uniformity of its force is easily affected by the operator's tightening force and operating habits, which can lead to uneven sealing and leakage points.

[0007] 3. The sealing ring has a large force-bearing area, which not only allows it to withstand higher water pressure, but also makes it prone to uneven density in different areas during production. In addition, the larger surface area increases the contact area for hydrolysis and oxidation, thereby accelerating the aging process and significantly shortening the service life of the component.

[0008] Based on the aforementioned shortcomings, traditional grooved fastening and sealing structures are unable to meet the high-efficiency and stable requirements of modern pipeline systems in terms of cost control, assembly consistency, and long-term reliability. Therefore, a more optimized pipeline connection fastening and sealing solution is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a grooved firming and sealing structure that can achieve a sealed connection between two sets of pipe fittings to be connected, and the sealing effect is better.

[0010] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is:

[0011] A grooved and sealing structure includes a support ring, a first locking ring, and a second locking ring. The connecting end of the pipe fittings to be connected is provided with an annular groove. The two sides of the support ring are respectively embedded into the inner cavities of the two pipe fittings to be connected, and a first elastic seal is provided between the support ring and the inner wall of the pipe fittings to be connected. The first locking ring is installed on the annular groove of the two pipe fittings to be connected. The second locking ring is sleeved on the outside of the first locking ring and is securely connected to the first locking rings on both sides.

[0012] Preferably, a second elastic seal is provided between the first locking ring and the second locking ring.

[0013] Preferably, the first locking ring is provided with a plurality of first locking holes arranged along its circumference; the second locking ring is provided with a plurality of second locking holes arranged along its circumference; the plurality of first locking holes and the plurality of second locking holes correspond one-to-one; the second locking ring is installed on the first locking ring by inserting a locking member into the first locking hole and the second locking hole.

[0014] Preferably, the first locking ring is provided with a plurality of third locking holes arranged along its circumference; the second locking ring is provided with a plurality of locking blocks arranged along its circumference and capable of radial movement, wherein the plurality of third locking holes correspond one-to-one with the plurality of locking blocks, and the radial movement of the locking blocks cooperates with the third locking holes.

[0015] Preferably, multiple sets of first locking holes and multiple sets of third locking holes are alternately arranged on the first locking ring; multiple sets of second locking holes and multiple sets of locking blocks are alternately arranged on the second locking ring.

[0016] Preferably, the locking block and the second locking ring are an integral structure, with one end of the locking block connected to the second locking ring and the other end being a free end.

[0017] Preferably, the support ring includes a support body and sealing structures disposed on both sides of the support body; the sealing structure includes a first inclined portion and a first horizontal portion, wherein the upper end of the first inclined portion is connected to the support body and the lower end is connected to the first horizontal portion; the pipe to be connected is provided with a second inclined portion parallel to the first inclined portion and a second horizontal portion connected to the second inclined portion at a position corresponding to the first inclined portion, wherein the inner side of the second horizontal portion is in contact with the outer side of the support body; the first elastic seal is located between the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion; the second elastic seal is located in the gap formed by the second inclined portion, the inner wall of the second locking ring, and the side wall of the first locking ring.

[0018] Preferably, the first horizontal portion is located inside the annular groove and has a gap between it and the bottom of the annular groove.

[0019] Preferably, the inner side of the second locking ring is in contact with the outer side of the second horizontal portion.

[0020] Preferably, both the first and second elastic seals are O-rings; the locking element is a pin; and the first locking ring is an open ring structure.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0022] 1. The grooved sealing structure of the present invention constructs a composite sealing system of "two soft seals + one hard seal", realizing full-condition coverage from low-pressure pre-sealing to high-pressure self-locking sealing. In the initial stage, the first elastic sealing element on the support ring forms a basic sealing barrier through elastic deformation, which can meet the sealing requirements of low-pressure conditions. As the water pressure in the pipeline increases, the support ring expands outward under internal pressure, thereby pushing the outer wall of the connecting end of the pipe to be connected to fit tightly with the inner wall of the second locking ring to form a hard sealing surface. The higher the water pressure, the stronger the adhesion at the sealing surface, thereby achieving the effect of "pressure adaptive self-locking sealing", thus completely solving the pain points of traditional solutions that rely on manual locking and are prone to leakage under high pressure.

[0023] 2. In the grooved fastening and sealing structure of the present invention, the first locking ring, the second locking ring, and the fastening structure between them together form a synergistic force-bearing structure. Through the linkage mechanism of unitized closed-loop force-bearing and reverse support reinforcement, a breakthrough improvement in load-bearing performance is achieved. Specifically, the first locking ring is connected by the fastening structure to form multiple independent force-bearing units, which can evenly distribute and transfer local loads to the second locking ring, thereby effectively avoiding stress concentration. At the same time, after the first locking ring is loaded, the fastening structure applies a reverse support force to the second locking ring, which is equivalent to increasing the effective wall thickness of the second locking ring, thereby improving the pressure-bearing capacity of the connection end of the pipe to be connected without increasing the original thickness of the pipe. In addition, the above-mentioned synergistic force-bearing structure can effectively resist the axial tensile force generated during pipeline operation and prevent the two pipes to be connected from separating, thereby solving the technical pain points of low strength and easy deformation of traditional fastening ring structures, and ultimately achieving the dual technical effect of high strength and lightweight.

[0024] 3. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure of the present invention eliminates the complex casting fastening rings of traditional solutions, and can be directly mass-produced using high-strength sheet metal through processes such as stamping and rolling. Compared with casting, sheet metal processing involves fewer steps and higher production capacity, and can effectively avoid defects such as coarse and loose metallographic structure, ensuring consistent product quality. At the same time, the lightweight structural design helps reduce raw material consumption, further compressing production costs. This makes the groove reinforcement and sealing structure of the present invention more suitable for large-scale industrial production, combining the dual advantages of improved production efficiency and reduced manufacturing costs, and possessing significant market application value. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the pipe fitting sealing connection structure of the present invention (before locking).

[0026] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the pipe fitting sealing connection structure of the present invention (after locking).

[0027] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the connection portion in the pipe fitting sealing connection structure of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a partial sectional view of the pipe fittings to be connected, the first locking ring, the second locking ring, and the support ring.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the support ring structure.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first locking ring.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the second locking ring (before locking).

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the second locking ring (after locking).

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the locking block before (left side) and after (right side) locking.

[0034] Figure 10 This is a structural schematic diagram of the pipe fittings to be connected. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0036] See Figures 1-10 The groove securing and sealing structure of the present invention includes a support ring 7, a first locking ring 8, and a second locking ring 2. An annular groove 101 is provided at the connecting end of the pipe fitting 1 to be connected. The two sides of the support ring 7 are respectively embedded into the inner cavities of the two pipe fittings 1 to be connected, and a first elastic sealing element 6 is provided between the support ring 7 and the inner wall of the pipe fitting 1 to be connected. There are two sets of the first locking ring 8, each set installed on the annular groove 101 of one of the two pipe fittings 1 to be connected. The second locking ring 2 is sleeved on the outside of the first locking ring 8 and connected to the first locking rings 8 on both sides via a fastening structure. A second elastic sealing element 5 is provided between the first locking ring 8 and the second locking ring 2.

[0037] See Figures 1-10 The fastening structure is implemented in the following manner:

[0038] The first locking ring 8 is provided with multiple sets of first locking holes 801 arranged along its circumference; the second locking ring 2 is provided with multiple sets of second locking holes 201 arranged along its circumference; the multiple sets of first locking holes 801 and the multiple sets of second locking holes 201 correspond one-to-one; by inserting a locking member into the first locking hole 801 and the second locking hole 201, the second locking ring 2 is installed on the first locking ring 8;

[0039] The first locking ring 8 is provided with multiple sets of third locking holes 803 arranged along its circumference; the second locking ring 2 is provided with multiple sets of locking blocks 4 arranged along its circumference and capable of radial movement, wherein the multiple sets of third locking holes 803 correspond one-to-one with the multiple sets of locking blocks 4; after the second locking ring 2 is installed on the first locking ring 8 by inserting a locking member into the first locking hole 801 and the second locking hole 201, the locking block 4 is driven to move radially into the third locking hole 803 by a professional tool and cooperate with the third locking hole 803;

[0040] In this embodiment, multiple sets of first locking holes 801 and multiple sets of third locking holes 803 are alternately arranged on the first locking ring 8; multiple sets of second locking holes 201 and multiple sets of locking blocks 4 are alternately arranged on the second locking ring 2; the locking block 4 and the second locking ring 2 are an integral structure, one end of the locking block 4 is connected to the second locking ring 2, and the other end is a free end. Specifically, the locking block 4 is a rectangular body, wherein three sides of the rectangular body are separated from the second locking ring 2, while one side remains an integral structure with the second locking ring 2. During installation, a professional tool is used to cause the free end of the locking block 4 to move radially into the third locking hole 803 and cooperate with the third locking hole 803.

[0041] Through the above configuration, the first locking ring 8, the second locking ring 2, and the fastening structure between them together form a collaborative force-bearing structure. Through the linkage mechanism of unitized closed-loop force and reverse support reinforcement, a breakthrough improvement in load-bearing performance is achieved. Specifically, the first locking ring 8 is connected by the fastening structure to form multiple independent force-bearing units, which can evenly distribute and transfer local loads to the second locking ring 2, thereby effectively avoiding stress concentration. At the same time, after the first locking ring 8 is loaded, the fastening structure applies a reverse support force to the second locking ring 2, which is equivalent to increasing the effective wall thickness of the second locking ring 2, thereby improving the pressure-bearing capacity of the connection end of the pipe fitting 1 without increasing the original thickness of the pipe.

[0042] In addition, the aforementioned collaborative force-bearing structure can effectively resist the axial tensile force generated during pipeline operation and prevent the two pipe fittings to be connected from separating, thereby solving the technical pain points of low strength and easy deformation of traditional fastening ring structures, and ultimately achieving the dual technical effect of high strength and lightweight.

[0043] See Figures 1-10 The support ring 7 includes a support body 701 and sealing structures disposed on both sides of the support body 701. The sealing structure includes a first inclined portion 702 and a first horizontal portion 703. The upper end of the first inclined portion 702 is connected to the support body 701, and the lower end is connected to the first horizontal portion 703. The pipe fitting to be connected 1 is provided with a second inclined portion 102 parallel to the first inclined portion 702 and a second horizontal portion 103 connected to the second inclined portion 702 at a position corresponding to the first inclined portion 702. The inner side of the second horizontal portion 103 is in contact with the outer side of the support body 701. The first elastic sealing member 6 is located between the first inclined portion 702 and the second inclined portion 102.

[0044] In this embodiment, the first horizontal portion 703 is located inside the annular groove 101 and has a gap with the bottom of the annular groove 101. Under the action of internal water pressure, as the internal water pressure increases, the gap between the first horizontal portion 703 and the inner side of the annular groove 101 will decrease, thereby squeezing the first elastic sealing member 6 to undergo elastic compression, thereby forming a soft seal. The inner side of the second locking ring 2 is in contact with the outer side of the second horizontal portion 103, and also with the outer side of the first locking ring 8. Thus, under the action of internal water pressure, the support ring 7 expands to make the outer wall of the second horizontal portion 103 of the pipe fitting to be connected fit tightly with the inner wall of the second locking ring 2 to form a hard seal.

[0045] See Figures 1-10 The second elastic seal 5 is located in the gap formed by the second inclined portion 102, the inner wall of the second locking ring 2, and the side wall of the first locking ring 8. In this way, the first locking ring 8 can serve as a rigid back support for the second elastic seal 5, thereby effectively preventing the second elastic seal 5 from being squeezed out under high pressure. In addition, the additional second elastic seal 5 can further reduce the risk of leakage, thereby greatly improving the sealing stability and durability of the pipeline connection.

[0046] See Figures 1-10 Both the first elastic seal 6 and the second elastic seal 5 are O-rings.

[0047] See Figures 1-10 The working principle of the groove firmness and sealing structure of the present invention is as follows:

[0048] The grooved and sealing structure of this invention constructs a composite sealing system of "two soft seals + one hard seal" (i.e., the first elastic sealing element 6 constitutes the first soft seal, the second elastic sealing element 5 constitutes the second soft seal, and under the action of internal water pressure, the support ring 7 expands to make the outer wall of the connecting end of the pipe fitting 1 to be connected tightly fit with the inner wall of the second locking ring 2 to form a hard seal). This achieves full-condition coverage from low-pressure pre-sealing to high-pressure self-locking sealing.

[0049] In the initial stage, the first elastic seal 6 on the support ring 7 forms a basic sealing barrier through elastic deformation, which can meet the sealing requirements of low-pressure conditions.

[0050] As the water pressure in the pipeline increases, the support ring 7 expands outward under the internal pressure, thereby pushing the outer wall of the connecting end of the pipe fitting 1 to be connected to fit tightly against the inner wall of the second locking ring 2 to form a hard sealing surface. The greater the water pressure, the stronger the sealing force at the sealing surface, thereby achieving the effect of "pressure adaptive self-locking seal", thus completely solving the pain points of traditional solutions that rely on manual locking and are prone to leakage under high pressure.

[0051] In addition, the first locking ring 8 can serve as a rigid back support for the second elastic seal 5, thereby effectively preventing the second elastic seal 5 from being squeezed out under high pressure. Therefore, the additional second elastic seal 5 can further reduce the risk of leakage, thereby significantly improving the sealing stability and durability of the pipeline connection.

[0052] The above are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above content. Any changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, or simplifications made without departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be considered equivalent substitutions and shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A grooved, robust, and sealing structure, characterized in that, The device includes a support ring, a first locking ring, and a second locking ring. The connecting end of the pipe fittings to be connected has an annular groove. The support ring is embedded in the inner cavities of two pipe fittings on both sides, and a first elastic seal is provided between the support ring and the inner wall of the pipe fittings. The first locking ring is installed on the annular groove of the two pipe fittings. The second locking ring is sleeved on the outside of the first locking ring and is securely connected to the first locking rings on both sides.

2. The grooved and sealing structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second elastic seal is provided between the first locking ring and the second locking ring.

3. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first locking ring is provided with a plurality of first locking holes arranged along its circumference; the second locking ring is provided with a plurality of second locking holes arranged along its circumference; the plurality of first locking holes and the plurality of second locking holes correspond one-to-one; the second locking ring is installed on the first locking ring by inserting a locking member into the first locking hole and the second locking hole.

4. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first locking ring is provided with multiple sets of third locking holes arranged along its circumference; the second locking ring is provided with multiple sets of locking blocks arranged along its circumference and capable of radial movement, wherein the multiple sets of third locking holes correspond one-to-one with the multiple sets of locking blocks, and the radial movement of the locking blocks cooperates with the third locking holes.

5. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, Multiple sets of first locking holes and multiple sets of third locking holes are alternately arranged on the first locking ring; multiple sets of second locking holes and multiple sets of locking blocks are alternately arranged on the second locking ring.

6. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking block and the second locking ring are an integral structure. One end of the locking block is connected to the second locking ring, while the other end is a free end.

7. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support ring includes a support body and sealing structures disposed on both sides of the support body; the sealing structure includes a first inclined portion and a first horizontal portion, wherein the upper end of the first inclined portion is connected to the support body and the lower end is connected to the first horizontal portion; the pipe to be connected is provided with a second inclined portion parallel to the first inclined portion and a second horizontal portion connected to the second inclined portion at a position corresponding to the first inclined portion, wherein the inner side of the second horizontal portion is in contact with the outer side of the support body; the first elastic seal is located between the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion; the second elastic seal is located in the gap formed by the second inclined portion, the inner wall of the second locking ring and the side wall of the first locking ring.

8. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first horizontal portion is located inside the annular groove and has a gap between it and the bottom of the annular groove.

9. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inner side of the second locking ring is in contact with the outer side of the second horizontal part.

10. The groove reinforcement and sealing structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both the first and second elastic seals are O-rings; the locking element is a pin; and the first locking ring is an open ring structure.

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