Compliant Jumper Tube Assembly for Offset Conduit Coupling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft components, such as those in gas turbine engines, face challenges with fluid transmission due to misalignment and offset issues, particularly in constrained spaces, which hinder coupling and fluid communication between conduits.

Innovation Solution

A compliant jumper tube fitting assembly with an outer and inner annular cylindrical structure, featuring a transition portion and seal channels, allows for fluid communication and sealing between components, even in misaligned conditions, through a retaining assembly that inhibits translation and seal members that maintain contact across varying angles and misalignments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If rigid conduit coupling is used, then structural strength is improved, but misalignment and offset from true position inhibit coupling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidcoupling adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The fitting assembly incorporates an inner housing that can dynamically adjust its orientation and position relative to the outer housing through arcuate transitions, allowing the rigid structure to adapt to misalignment while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The fitting changes its geometric parameters through arcuate transition portions that allow angular and radial adjustment, enabling the rigid conduit coupling to accommodate misalignment and offset conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Volume of moving object

If space is constrained within turbine engine case, then compactness is improved, but coupling difficulty is compounded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace occupationVSAvoidcoupling ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The inner housing is nested within the outer housing, creating a compact assembly that minimizes space occupation while the inner housing can still move independently to accommodate misalignment during coupling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The fitting is segmented into an outer housing and an inner housing that can move independently, allowing the compact assembly to achieve both small footprint and coupling adaptability through coordinated movement of segments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If seal members are added to maintain sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seal members utilize flexible sealing elements that can deform to maintain contact with mating surfaces across varying angles and misalignments, providing reliable sealing without complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS11371632B2Compliant jumper tube fitting

Publication Date: 2022.06.28 RTX CORP

AI summary

A compliant jumper tube fitting assembly may comprise an outer housing comprising a first annular cylindrical structure including a first opening defined by a base wall, and an inner housing comprising a second annular cylindrical structure including a second opening defined by an annular wall, wherein the inner housing is configured to generate a seal between an inner diameter wall of the outer housing and an outer diameter wall of the inner housing in response to inserting the inner housing into a mouth end of the outer housing, wherein the inner housing is configured to receive an end fitting and generate a seal between an inner diameter wall of the inner housing in response to inserting the end fitting into the inner housing.