Clamping Ring with Stop Edge for Pipe Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming clamping rings, such as those using cross-linked polyethylene pipes with memory properties, lack a mechanism to ensure the ring remains correctly positioned during and after pipe connections, leading to potential sealing and holding issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving extruding a pipe from a plastic material with memory properties, cutting it to form a pipe part, warming, and bending the end to create a stop edge, which prevents the end from expanding and ensures the clamping ring remains in place, using a collapsible cylinder and outer mold to shape and secure the stop edge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the clamping ring is made simple without additional features, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the positioning accuracy on the pipe end deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping ring is segmented into two functional zones: a body part that expands during connection and an end part that forms a stop edge. This segmentation allows the ring to simultaneously achieve simple manufacturing (single-piece construction) and accurate positioning (distinct positioning zone), resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the clamping ring have different functional qualities: the body part is designed to expand elastically to provide clamping force, while the end part is designed to remain relatively constrained to form a stop edge. This local differentiation of properties enables both simple construction and precise positioning functionality.
2Manufacturing precision
If the end of the pipe part is prevented from widening, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The formation of the stop edge is merged with the extrusion process itself. By designing the extrusion mold to directly form the differentiated structure with the end part constrained during extrusion, the positioning feature is created in a single manufacturing step rather than requiring separate operations, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop edge structure is preliminarily formed during the extrusion process before the clamping ring is installed. The end part is pre-constrained to form the positioning feature, which then automatically functions during pipe connection without requiring additional manufacturing steps or assembly operations.
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 method simplifies the formation of a clamping ring with a stop edge, ensuring correct positioning and enhanced sealing pressure during pipe connections, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of pipe connections.
Implementation Method 1
a plastic material having memory properties, and cutting the extruded pipe to form a pipe part
Implementation Method 2
The pipe part is warmed and the end of the pipe part is bent
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A pipe from a plastic material having memory properties is extruded. The extruded pipe is cut to form a pipe part (7). The pipe part (7) is warmed and the end (6b) of the pipe part (7) is bent. The pipe part (7) forms a clamping ring (6) and the bent end (6b) of the pipe part (7) forms a stop edge (10) in the clamping ring (6).