Recessed Air Hose Coupler Housing for One-Handed Wall Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air hose systems are cumbersome to use, requiring excessive time and two hands to connect/disconnect couplers, and pose tripping hazards when hoses are left on the ground.
Innovation Solution
A hose coupling housing assembly with a cylindrically-shaped outer component, a beveled flange, and a rotatable dust cover that allows one-handed operation, secure mounting, and routing of hoses out of the way, featuring a hex nipple and a female air hose coupler with a dust cover for easy access and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional air hose systems are used with ground-level connections, then hose accessibility is improved, but tripping hazards and movement restrictions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent elevates the hose connection point from ground level to vertical mounting on a wall or column. This dimensional change allows hoses to be routed vertically upward instead of lying horizontally on the ground, eliminating tripping hazards while maintaining accessibility through the vertically positioned access aperture.
2Ease of operation
If conventional couplers are used, then connection functionality is provided, but connection time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dust cover is pre-positioned in a closed protective state and simply needs to be rotated open before connection, rather than requiring manual disassembly of complex coupler components. This preliminary positioning of the protective cover allows rapid access to the coupler interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is divided into functional segments: the outer housing provides structural support and mounting, the dust cover provides protective closure, and the coupler provides connection functionality. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall operation by allowing the dust cover to be operated separately from the coupler mechanism.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If hoses are permanently routed through housing, then tripping hazards are reduced, but housing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for mounting, creates a protective enclosure, provides a sealed access aperture for hose passage, and offers a mounting surface for the dust cover. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The dust cover is designed to nest within the housing structure, fitting into the circular access aperture and providing closure without requiring separate mounting hardware or additional external components. The nested design minimizes overall complexity while maintaining both protective and structural functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A hose coupler housing assembly for air and fluid hoses having an externally threaded cylindrical outer component (2) for mounting recessed on a planar surface encompassing a female quick connect coupler (1). The housing allows a user to insert or remove a male hose fitting into the coupler by depressing and releasing an inner component (3). A rotating dust cover (4) mounts to the top of the inner component with a screw (6) through a countersunk aperture (16) and protects the female quick connect coupler when not in use. The outer component is held to the planar surface with an internally threaded retaining ring (5) which mates to the externally threaded body of the outer component.