Fitting Assembly With Barbed Nipple And Clamp For Flexible Pipe Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fitting assemblies for flexible pipes, such as those in irrigation systems, face challenges in securely attaching and sealing the open end of a pipe section while preventing fluid egress and ensuring secure engagement without causing deformation that may lead to weak points or fluid leakage.
Innovation Solution
A fitting assembly featuring a nipple with a coned-shaped head, a cylindrical neck with a peripheral seal and barb means, and a clamp that securely attaches to the pipe section, ensuring the barbed teeth engage the pipe interior to prevent fluid leakage and deformation, with a path for fluid escape if a cut forms, and allowing for easy detachment and re-attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If barbed teeth are used to engage the pipe interior for secure attachment, then the fitting assembly achieves strong engagement and prevents fluid leakage, but the barbed teeth may cause deformation or cuts in the pipe wall that create weak points
Solution Approach 1:
The barb means features a forward segment with a reduced outer diameter that engages the pipe at a specific location forward of the seal. This localized engagement zone is designed to concentrate the mechanical engagement function away from the seal area, allowing the barbed teeth to grip the pipe securely without compromising the seal integrity or creating weak points at critical locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The nipple is divided into distinct functional segments: a forward head portion, a neck portion containing the seal, and a barb means with a forward segment. This segmentation separates the sealing function (at the neck) from the engagement function (at the forward segment), allowing each to optimize its performance without interfering with the other.
2Reliability
If the clamp is tightened securely to prevent detachment, then the fitting assembly achieves reliable attachment, but excessive tightening may cause deformation of the pipe
Solution Approach 1:
The barbed teeth perform preliminary engagement with the pipe interior before the clamp is applied. This initial engagement secures the pipe to the fitting and positions it correctly, allowing the clamp to be tightened to a moderate degree without requiring excessive force that would cause deformation. The preliminary action by the barbs reduces the burden on the clamp.
3Device complexity
If the forward segment of the barb means is positioned close to the seal for compact design, then the overall size is reduced, but any cut formed by the barbed teeth may migrate to a position that causes leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The forward segment of the barb means is positioned at a specific location forward of the seal, creating a dedicated engagement zone separated from the seal area. This spatial differentiation ensures that even if the pipe is pulled during installation causing the barbed teeth to cut the pipe, the cut will occur at the forward segment location rather than at the seal location, preventing leakage while maintaining compact overall dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A fitting assembly (10) that can attach to an open end (12) of a pipe (14) has a nipple (18) and a clamp (20). For attachment, the pipe (14) is fitted with its open end over the nipple (18) and the clamp (20) fits over the pipe (14) where the pipe fits over the nipple (18). The nipple (18) has a seal (32) and a barb means (34) that is located rear to the seal (32) that contact an inner face of the pipe and the clamp (20) having an axial extension that is sized to overlie the barb means (34) and the seal (32) in order to press the pipe (14) against the barb means (34) and the seal (32).