Air Pipe Joint Locking Mechanism with Push-Release Stopper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coming off preventing devices for air supply and exhaust pipes fail to provide stable strength against pulling out forces and require complex handling for disengagement, as they necessitate rotation of pipes to align elastic pawl plates with pull-out grooves.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a metal stopper with a lock unit, including a push part, rectangular lock part, and bent plate spring, equipped with a joint cover and O-ring, which allows easy insertion and stable locking of air supply and exhaust pipes, enabling pull-out at a touch by aligning the lock part with a circumferential groove.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If an elastic pawl plate is used to prevent coming off, then the structure is simple, but stable strength against pulling out force cannot be obtained and complicated handling is required for pulling out
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is divided into multiple functional segments: a lock part with locking protrusions for engagement, a push part for actuation, and a plate spring for providing elastic force. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function efficiently, achieving both structural simplicity and reliable locking strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate spring provides dynamic elastic force that automatically engages the locking protrusions with the circumferential groove during insertion and maintains stable locking strength. The dynamic nature of the spring allows for easy release when pushed, enabling both strong locking and simple release operations.
2Device complexity
If an elastic pawl plate is used to prevent coming off, then the device is simple, but complicated handling is required for pulling out as rotation is necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The push part is designed to be actuated by a simple pushing motion that directly releases the locking protrusions from the circumferential groove. The plate spring automatically returns the lock part to the locked position after release, making the operation self-completing and eliminating the need for rotation or complex handling.
3Ease of operation
If a cut out window with cover and lock parts is used, then pull off at a touch is enabled, but the device structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential locking and release functions from the complex cut out window structure. The stopper with lock part, push part, and plate spring provides the core functionality without the additional cover, flank space, and slide guide parts, achieving simple release operation with a much simpler structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device ensures stable locking during insertion and allows for effortless disengagement by enabling the inner pipe to be pulled out at a touch, providing enhanced handling and strength against pulling forces.
Implementation Method 1
one end of a plate spring welded thereto, which plate spring is bent to have an obtuse angle
Data Source
AI summary
A coming off preventing device is provided for a joining part of an air supply and exhaust pipe which joins two pipes by inserting an entry of one air supply and exhaust pipe into a socket of another air supply and exhaust pipe. A cut out window is provided at the socket side, and a metal stopper is equipped on the outer side of the cut out window, wherein the metal stopper has a lock unit which includes a push part on an upper surface of one end, a rectangular shaped lock part on a lower surface of another end and a bearing part on an upper surface of a center part. Further, the lock unit has a lower surface to which one end of a plate spring is welded wherein the plate spring is bent to have an obtuse angle. A joint cover covers said lock unit and fixes said lock unit axially. Further to the entry side, a circumferential groove is engraved to the opposite direction to the entry with a gradient, and an entry stopper. The groove stops coming off by fitting of or receiving the rectangular shaped lock part of said lock unit. By only inserting an entry of one pipe into a socket of the other pipe, the lock unit is fixed into the circumferential groove and a coming off preventing function is generated. Further, an air supply and exhaust pipe can be easily pulled off from another air supply and exhaust pipe by pushing a push part with a finger.