Quick Coupling Locking Mechanism for Cryogenic Fluid Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing quick couplings for fluid lines, particularly those handling cryogenic fluids, face leakage issues when disconnected, and lack fire resistance for flammable media, posing risks of fluid escape and potential fires.
Innovation Solution
A quick coupling design featuring a locking mechanism connected to the locking device, with axially displaceable valves and conical sealing surfaces, and low-temperature flexible sealing elements, ensures fluid-tight sealing before and during disconnection, and includes a triggering mechanism for emergency disconnection under tensile stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spring-loaded valves with closing elements are used to seal the lines when coupling parts are separated, then the lines can be sealed after separation, but leakage of contents occurs during the closing process of the valves
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to actuate the locking device that closes the valves before the coupling parts separate. This preliminary action ensures that the fluid channels are sealed prior to any potential leakage during separation, eliminating the harmful leakage effect while maintaining reliable sealing after separation
2Device complexity
If the locking mechanism is not connected to the locking device, then the structure is simpler, but no sealing occurs before the two coupling parts separate, so valve closing is not reliably possible
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is operatively connected to the locking device, merging the separation actuation function with the valve closing function. This connection ensures that when the locking mechanism actuates to separate the coupling parts, it simultaneously triggers the locking device to close the valves, achieving reliable sealing before separation while maintaining a integrated and efficient structure
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional sealing surfaces are used, then the manufacturing is easier, but the valves do not close tightly with cryogenic fluids and leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing surfaces are designed with specific conical geometries and surface parameters optimized for cryogenic conditions. By changing the geometric parameters and surface characteristics of the sealing surfaces, the valves achieve tight closure with cryogenic fluids while maintaining manufacturability through standardized conical surface fabrication
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 effectively prevents fluid leakage during disconnection, maintains fire safety for flammable media, and ensures reliable sealing across extreme temperatures, enhancing safety and reducing the risk of fires and environmental contamination.
Implementation Method 1
A spring-loaded valve with closing elements is arranged in the flow channel in both parts of the quick-action coupling, with the closing elements being loaded by compression springs
Implementation Method 2
The valves have conical first sealing surfaces and the valve seats have conical second sealing surfaces, with the opening angle of the first sealing surfaces being smaller than the opening angle of the second sealing surfaces. The high contact pressure on the annular sealing surface resulting from the different cones achieves a seal
Implementation Method 3
at least one of the sealing surfaces of a valve and the corresponding valve seat comprises a low-temperature flexible plastic sealing element, such as a low-temperature flexible sealing ring
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates generally to couplings for connecting lines, such as, in particular, hose lines, to one another or for coupling hose lines to fittings. To this end, a quick-action coupling (1) for coupling fluid-conducting lines to one another is described, which quick-action coupling comprises a first coupling part (3) and a second coupling part (5), and a seal (7) for sealing the two coupling parts (3, 5), and a locking mechanism (9), in order to couple the two coupling parts (3, 5) to one another releasably. Both coupling parts (3, 5) are equipped with valve arrangements (11, 13). Each of the two valves (11, 13) comprises an axially displaceable valve (15, 17), wherein the valve (15) of the first valve arrangement (11) has an opening (150), in which a push rod (152) is secured in an axially movable manner. In the coupled-together state of the coupling parts (3, 5), the push rod (152) keeps the two valves (15, 17) apart from one another. The push rod (152) can be latched by way of a blocking device (110). The locking mechanism (9) is operatively connected to a blocking device (110), with the result that, in the case of an actuation of the locking mechanism (9) in order to decouple the two coupling parts (3, 5) which are coupled to one another, blocking of the push rod (152) is released even before separation of the coupling parts and the two valves (15, 17) are brought together with the respective valve seat (19, 21).