Cooling Connection Assembly With Misalignment Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connection assemblies for thermoregulation circuits, such as those used in cooling systems, face challenges with misalignment and spacing issues between connecting elements and complementary elements on heat exchange plates, leading to jamming and wear, and existing solutions are either too bulky or lack necessary movement compensation.
Innovation Solution
A compact connection assembly that includes a flange with internal orifices, a cover, and seals, allowing for lateral movement and angular adjustment of fluidic connection elements, enabling compensation for alignment and spacing faults while maintaining a compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lateral movement connecting element is provided to compensate for misalignment, then the risk of jamming and wear is reduced, but the device becomes too bulky for certain uses
Solution Approach 1:
The connection assembly incorporates a flange capable of lateral movement relative to the support, allowing dynamic adjustment to compensate for misalignment between connecting elements and complementary elements. This dynamic positioning mechanism enables the connection assembly to adapt its position within a defined range, reducing jamming and wear risks without requiring excessive structural bulk.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection assembly is divided into separable components: a support with conduit outlets, a flange with internal orifices that can move laterally, and a cover with connection elements. This segmentation allows the flange to independently perform lateral movement for misalignment compensation while the overall assembly remains compact and suitable for applications with limited space.
2Volume of moving object
If the center distance between two adjacent connection elements is reduced, then the device becomes more compact, but the risk of jamming increases due to spacing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The flange's lateral movement capability allows it to dynamically adjust its position relative to the support, compensating for spacing defects that occur when connection elements are positioned close together. This dynamic adjustment ensures proper alignment during connection operations even when the center distance between elements is reduced for compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the positional parameter of the flange relative to the support through lateral movement, allowing the system to adapt to varying spacing conditions. By enabling the flange to shift position within a defined range, the system maintains reliable operation despite reduced center distances between connection elements.
3Device complexity
If fixed connection elements are used without lateral movement capability, then the device structure is simpler, but misalignment and spacing defects cause jamming and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is designed with lateral movement capability relative to the support, transforming the connection assembly from a static to a dynamic structure. This allows the flange to automatically adjust its position to compensate for misalignment and spacing defects during connection operations, significantly reducing jamming and wear risks while maintaining relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange's lateral movement mechanism enables the connection assembly to self-adjust and compensate for alignment and spacing defects without requiring external intervention or complex control systems. The mechanical design allows the flange to naturally position itself to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and installation variations.
Data Source
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AI summary
This connection assembly (100) includes a flange (140), through which are at least two internal ports (150) centered on orifice axes (A150) parallel to each other, a front surface (142) and a rear surface (144), parallel to a transverse plane (P140) which is transverse to the orifice axes (A150), at least two fluidic connection elements (170), each comprising a male body (172) received in a respective internal port, and a cover (120), configured to be fixed to a support (110) in a mounted configuration of the connection assembly.According to the invention, the flange is movable relative to the cover by a movement carried by the transverse plane, while for each male body, a second sealing gasket (188) is interposed radially between this male body and an internal radial surface (S162) of the corresponding internal orifice, each male body being mounted in the corresponding internal orifice with the possibility of inclination relative to the axis of the corresponding orifice.