Composite Pipe Transition Fitting With Anti-Rotation Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Transition fittings that incorporate metallic components, such as brass, are expensive and pose health hazards due to lead leaching, while polymeric fittings face limitations in dimension and increased leakage risks from thermal expansion differences between materials.
Innovation Solution
A composite pipe fitting design featuring a first body with anti-rotation grooves and a second body with corresponding anti-rotation fingers, allowing for a secure connection and overmolding to create a fluid-tight seal, using polymeric materials that are lead-free and metal-free, with the first body suitable for metallic pipes and the second for polymeric pipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metallic components (brass) are used in transition fittings, then connection strength and durability are improved, but manufacturing cost increases and health hazards arise from lead leaching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes metallic components (brass) from the transition fitting, extracting the harmful element (lead) while maintaining the functional requirements through polymeric materials. The threaded portion is now made from polymeric material instead of metal, eliminating lead leaching while preserving connection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite polymeric materials that combine the properties needed for both metallic and polymeric pipe connections. The transition fitting uses a polymeric body with molded-in features that provide both the threaded interface for metallic pipes and the smooth bore for polymeric pipes, achieving strength without metal.
2Device complexity
If secondary tubular polymeric body is molded into the main body, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but dimensional flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the transition fitting into distinct functional segments: a threaded portion for metallic pipe connection and a non-threaded portion for polymeric pipe connection. These portions are designed as separate functional zones within the polymeric body, allowing each to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dissimilar metallic and polymeric materials are combined, then transition functionality is achieved, but leakage risk increases due to thermal expansion differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses homogeneous polymeric material throughout the entire transition fitting, eliminating the dissimilar materials interface between metal and polymer. This single-material construction ensures uniform thermal expansion characteristics, preventing the leakage issues that arise from differential thermal expansion between dissimilar materials while still providing transition functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe fitting having a first body and a second body that together at least partially define a fluid flow passage. The first body defines a first portion of the fluid flow passage that extends from a first end of the fluid flow passage to a first internal opening. The second body defines a second portion of the fluid flow passage that extends from a second internal opening to a second end of the fluid flow passage. The first body has a first interface surface that surrounds the first internal opening, the first interface surface having a plurality of anti-rotation grooves. The second body has a second interface surface that surrounds the second internal opening and engages with the first interface surface. The first internal opening is in fluid communication with the second internal opening. The second interface surface has a plurality of anti-rotation fingers that are each received by and engage with a corresponding one of the anti-rotation grooves. Rotation of the second body relative to the first body is resisted by the engagement of the anti-rotation fingers with the anti-rotation grooves.