Convex Flared Inner Ring for Inclined Tube Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inner rings fail to prevent fluid penetration when inclinedly press-inserted into tubes, leading to fluid leakage and contamination of high-purity fluids, especially in applications like semiconductor production and medical equipment, due to incomplete sealing and surface-pressure reduced portions.
Innovation Solution
The outer-circumferential flared surface of the inner ring is designed as a convex curved surface extending through the maximum-diameter portion, tip end, and the area between, ensuring a wide press-contact area that maintains sealing even when the inner ring is slightly inclined during insertion, preventing fluid penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inner ring is press-inserted into the tube end portion, then the tube and inner ring are connected, but when the axes are inclined during insertion, surface-pressure reduced portions occur and fluid penetration is not prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The outer-circumferential flared surface is designed as a convex curved surface instead of a flat or conical surface. This curvature allows the surface to maintain contact pressure distribution even when the inner ring is inserted with slight axial inclination, preventing the formation of surface-pressure reduced portions and ensuring reliable sealing without requiring precise axis alignment during insertion.
2Reliability
If the outer-circumferential flared surface is designed with a convex curved surface, then sealing is maintained even with axial inclination, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The convex curved surface is defined by specific geometric parameters (curvature radius, apex position, contact area distribution) that can be controlled during molding or machining. By optimizing these parameters, the surface achieves the desired sealing performance while keeping the manufacturing process within standard capabilities, balancing reliability and ease of manufacture.
3Reliability
If the press-contact area is increased to prevent fluid penetration, then sealing improves, but the inner ring structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The convex curved surface design naturally increases the effective press-contact area between the inner ring and tube without adding structural complexity. The curvature allows the surface to conform to the tube end portion even with slight misalignment, maintaining large contact area and reliable sealing using only the flared surface geometry of the inner ring itself.
Data Source
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AI summary
An inner ring in which, even in the case where the inner ring is inclinedly press-inserted into a tube, it is possible to prevent a fluid from penetrating between the tube and the inner ring is provided. In an inner ring in which a tip-contracted outer-circumferential flared surface 3a that is to be press-inserted into a tube end portion 4C to flare and deform the end portion 4C is formed on the side of the tip end of a flared portion 3f that is formed in an outer circumferential portion 3G of an inner ring body 3A that is to be press-inserted into a resin-made tube 4, a section shape of the outer-circumferential flared surface 3a in a direction extending along the axis P of the inner ring body 3A is formed into a convex curved surface passing through: a first place e1 which is the tube-press-insertion side tip end of a maximum-diameter portion 3b of the flared portion 3f; a second place e2 which is the tip end on the tube press insertion side; and a third place e3 which is between the first place e1 and the second place e2, and in which the diameter is equal to the outer diameter D of the tube 4 with respect to the axis P. In the convex curved surface, and angle α formed by the tangential line L of the outer-circumferential flared surface 3a in the third place e3 and the axis P is 30 to 60 degrees.