Electrical Conduit Jointing Device with Folded Edge Seals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical conduit jointing systems require significant effort during installation and struggle to achieve high protection indices due to friction-based sealing and difficulties in bonding seals to half-shells.

Innovation Solution

A jointing device with half-shells featuring folded edges to house longitudinal seals and rubber annular seals that provide sealing between the half-shells and sheaths, allowing for easy installation and high protection indices, utilizing rubber annular seals and triangular sections for enhanced sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If joints are fixed by gluing to the half-shells, then the seals can be attached to the half-shells, but the installation requires great effort due to friction over the entire length of the sheath and high protection indices are difficult to obtain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of seal attachmentVSAvoidinstallation effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the bonding/gluing mechanism with a mechanical interlocking system. The seal is designed with a profile that engages with corresponding features on the half-shell, allowing the seal to be mechanically attached rather than chemically bonded. This substitution eliminates the friction problem during installation while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The seal is divided into multiple segments or sections along its length, with each segment independently engageable with the half-shell. This segmentation allows the seal to be installed in sections rather than as a single continuous piece, reducing the overall friction and effort required during installation while maintaining sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If bonding is used to fix seals on half-shells, then seals can be attached, but the process is difficult to implement and high protection indices are difficult to obtain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection indexVSAvoidimplementation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The seal design incorporates self-aligning and self-seating features that guide the seal into its correct position during installation. The mechanical interlocking structure automatically ensures proper engagement without requiring precise alignment or additional fastening operations, making the implementation straightforward while maintaining high protection indices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 solution simplifies the installation process and ensures a high degree of protection by eliminating sliding friction and facilitating secure sealing, resulting in a device that is easy to implement and provides robust protection.

Implementation Method 1

two elastic annular seals mounted respectively around the two end parts of the two sheaths of the two pipes to be connected

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP1936764B1Device for copling two electrical lines

Publication Date: 2011.08.31 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IND SAS

Figure 1
Figure 2

AI summary

The device has longitudinal joints for assuring the sealing between two split rings (5, 6), and elastic annular joints (19, 20) assuring the sealing between the split rings and sheaths (4), where the annular joints are made of rubber. Triangles (23-26) are provided on the annular joints and perform the joining between two sealings, where the triangles transversely extend on the annular joints. The longitudinal joints do not extend over entire length of projection edges (15, 16) of the split rings to free spaces (27-30) at ends of each edge for allowing the housing of the triangles.