Hermetic Compressor Discharge Tube Coupling for Leak-Tight Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for coupling refrigerant gas discharge tubes to the cylinder cap of hermetic compressors are complex, costly, and prone to sealing issues due to dimensional variations and the use of screws that obstruct the gas path, leading to inefficiencies and potential operational failures.
Innovation Solution
A system using a connecting device with a tubular body and perimetral flap, made from materials like steel or aluminum alloys, that couples by interference with the discharge tube and cylinder cap, employing adhesive sealing and ultraviolet curing to ensure tightness, eliminating the need for screws and addressing dimensional variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screws are used to fix the discharge tube to the cylinder cap, then the connection is mechanically secure, but the gas path is obstructed and the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the screw fastening elements from the connection structure, extracting the obstructing component while maintaining connection security through an interference fit mechanism between the discharge tube and cylinder cap
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the connection function and gas flow function into a single integrated structure where the discharge tube passes directly through the cylinder cap without separate fastening elements, eliminating the need for screws
2Ease of manufacture
If interference coupling is used to connect the discharge tube to the cylinder cap, then the connection is simple and economical, but sealing is compromised due to dimensional variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sealing ring as an intermediary element between the discharge tube and cylinder cap, which compensates for dimensional variations and ensures reliable sealing while maintaining the simplicity of the interference fit coupling method
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the sealing mechanism from relying on precise dimensional parameters of the interference fit to using a dedicated sealing ring that can accommodate parameter variations, thereby maintaining sealing reliability despite manufacturing tolerances
3Reliability
If a connecting member with threading is used, then the discharge tube can be secured to the block, but the production process becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the threading feature from the connecting structure, eliminating the complex machining operations required to create and engage threads, while maintaining connection security through the interference fit mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a simpler connecting structure that can be manufactured more economically without threading, accepting that the connection is designed for the specific application lifecycle rather than being reusable across multiple assemblies
4Device complexity
If sealing is achieved only by mechanical expansion of the connecting member, then no additional sealing means are needed, but dimensional variations during production can compromise sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sealing ring as a specialized intermediary component that handles the sealing function, allowing the main connecting structure to remain simple while reliably accommodating dimensional variations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the connection function from the sealing function by introducing a distinct sealing ring component, allowing each function to be optimized independently—the connecting structure for mechanical attachment and the sealing ring for reliable sealing
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
This solution provides a practical, economical, and efficient connection that minimizes gas path obstruction, ensures optimal sealing, and is resilient to mechanical stresses, enhancing the overall efficiency and reliability of the cooling system.
Implementation Method 1
at least one layer of sealing material applied on the two interfaces: connecting device (10) co-operative with the cylinder cap (2), and connecting device (10) co-operative with the discharge tube (1)
Implementation Method 2
employing adhesive sealing and ultraviolet curing
Data Source
AI summary
A connecting device includes a substantially cylindrical or tubular body provided, at one of its ends, with an outer perimeter projection and co-operative with a duct of channel of a cylinder cap. The device is preferably producible with steel aluminum alloy, or another metal alloy with similar structural and thermal properties mainly due to the stresses it may suffer during use. The device is configured to be able to absorb tolerance variations and to have a resilience capable of providing resistance at the time when a connection undergoes mechanical stresses of performance, especially torsion.