Captive Flange Hose Fitting Assembly Torque Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flange hose fittings for larger hose sizes face challenges with high assembly torques and reduced pressure ratings, requiring larger and more expensive crimpers, and often necessitate multiple hose nipple styles and increased waste due to incorrect flange assembly.
Innovation Solution
A novel flange hose fitting design where a captive flange is attached to a flexible hose nipple after securing, using a retaining device such as a ring or seal to allow for post-assembly flange selection and attachment, eliminating the need for large crimpers and reducing inventory needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a one-piece flange is assembled to the hose fitting prior to crimping, then the flange connection is structurally integrated, but larger and more expensive crimpers are needed with bigger opening sizes and longer stroke
Solution Approach 1:
The flange assembly is divided into separate components: the hose fitting with crimped nipple is assembled first, then the flange is attached separately using a retaining device. This segmentation allows the crimping operation to be performed on the smaller fitting without requiring the flange to be present, thereby reducing crimper size requirements while maintaining the integrated appearance of the final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose fitting is crimped to the nipple in advance before the flange is attached. This preliminary crimping action allows the use of smaller, more economical crimpers that only need to accommodate the fitting dimensions, not the full assembled flange assembly. The flange is then added in a subsequent step to complete the connection.
2Reliability
If multiple hose nipple styles are provided for different flange types, then each flange type has its dedicated fitting, but inventory requirements and waste from incorrect assembly increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single universal hose nipple design is created that can accommodate multiple flange types through the use of a standardized retaining device system. The nipple features a retaining groove that works with various retaining devices to secure different flange configurations, eliminating the need for multiple specialized nipple styles while ensuring reliable connections for each flange type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows for parameter changes in flange configuration while maintaining a constant nipple base. By changing the flange parameters (type, size, configuration) rather than the nipple parameters, the system achieves versatility without increasing nipple inventory complexity, reducing waste from mismatches.
3Ease of operation
If threaded port fittings are used for flexible hoses, then assembly is reasonably easy, but pressure rating decreases and assembly torque increases rapidly for larger hose sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the advantages of threaded fittings (ease of assembly) with flange connections (high pressure capability). The resulting assembly combines a threaded or crimped nipple base with a flange attachment, achieving both easy assembly through the nipple installation and high pressure ratings through the flange structure that distributes loads effectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A flange hose fitting assembly and method wherein a captive flange is attached to a flexible hose nipple after the nipple has been crimped to the flexible hose. The flange, which may be selected from different types of flanges, is slipped over the front end of the nipple that is crimped at its back end to the flexible hose, and then locked to the nipple by a suitable retaining device, such as a retaining ring, spring, screw-on or glue-on ring, press-fit ring, piston-ring, shaft seal, U-shaped halves or other split configurations arranged around a locking groove in the nipple, etc.