Corrugated Sealing Grommet Assembly With Adjustable Retaining Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing grommet arrangements with retaining rings have complex designs and require significant assembly effort, limiting their versatility and increasing storage and logistics costs due to the need for multiple components to fit different housing sizes and lengths.
Innovation Solution
A retaining ring with a central through-opening and elastic deformability allows movement between corrugation troughs on the sealing grommet, enabling the same grommet to fit various housing lengths and diameters without additional components or tools, and a connecting structure for secure attachment to the housing wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a retaining ring with locking lug is used to secure the sealing grommet, then the sealing grommet is held firmly on the housing wall, but the assembly becomes complex and requires considerable assembly effort
Solution Approach 1:
The locking lug is removed from the retaining ring design. Instead of using a complex retaining ring with locking lugs, the patent uses a simple retaining ring that relies on the elastic deformation of the sealing grommet itself to provide retention, thereby simplifying the assembly structure and reducing assembly effort while maintaining reliable retention
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing grommet's elastic material properties enable it to self-retain on the housing wall through its own deformation. The corrugated structure and elastic memory of the grommet allow it to automatically secure itself without requiring complex external retaining mechanisms, thus improving reliability while reducing device complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sealing grommets with different lengths are stored for different housing sizes, then different applications are covered, but storage and logistics costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single sealing grommet design with standardized corrugation troughs can be used across multiple housing sizes and applications. By adjusting the position of the retaining ring along the grommet's length, the same grommet adapts to different housing dimensions, eliminating the need to store multiple specialized grommets and reducing storage and logistics costs
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining ring can be dynamically repositioned along the sealing grommet to different corrugation troughs depending on the housing size and application requirements. This dynamic adjustability allows one grommet to serve multiple functions across different applications, increasing versatility while reducing the quantity of different grommet types needed in storage
3Adaptability or versatility
If the retaining ring is moved to a different corrugation trough, then the protruding length of the sealing grommet is adjusted, but additional components or tools are needed
Solution Approach 1:
Special adjustment tools and additional components are removed from the assembly process. The retaining ring is designed to be manually movable along the sealing grommet by hand, allowing direct repositioning between corrugation troughs without requiring any special tools or complex mechanisms, thus maintaining versatility while simplifying assembly requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The corrugation troughs are designed with specific geometric characteristics that facilitate easy manual manipulation. The local geometry of the troughs allows the retaining ring to be easily engaged and disengaged by hand, enabling simple length adjustment without additional components or tools
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
Facilitates easy assembly and reduces storage and logistics costs by allowing a single grommet to adapt to different applications, ensuring secure fit and sealing without play, and simplifying installation.
Implementation Method 1
the sealing grommet consisting of an elastically deformable material in such a way that the retaining ring can be moved from one corrugation trough into a neighbouring corrugation trough while elastically deforming the sealing grommet by applying a certain minimum axial force
Implementation Method 2
If the sealing lip is elastic, and the sealing lip's radially inner region is connected to the groove wall of the annular groove, which is remote from the housing wall, and the sealing lip's freely projecting radially outer region is inclined towards the housing wall, the retaining ring lies against the housing wall with preload, increasing the sealing effect when fitted to the housing wall
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sealing grommet arrangement comprising a sealing grommet (1) which is designed as a corrugated tube having a constant outer diameter over its length, one end of which grommet projects through an opening (12) in a housing wall (10), and on which grommet a retaining ring (6) for retaining the sealing grommet (1) on the housing wall (10) is positioned. The retaining ring projects, by means of the inner contour of its through-opening (7), radially inwards into a corrugation trough (2) of the sealing grommet (1), and can be connected to the housing wall (10) so as to close the opening (12) in the housing wall (10). The retaining ring (6) has a central through-opening (7), by means of the inner contour (8) of which the retaining ring (6) projects into a corrugation trough (2) of the sealing grommet (1), wherein the sealing grommet (1) consists of a material which is elastically deformable in such a way that the retaining ring (6) can be moved, by a certain minimum application of axial force, from one corrugation trough (2) into an adjacent corrugation trough (2) so as to elastically deform the sealing grommet (1).