Deformable Fire Hydrant Nozzle for Watertight Repeated Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire hydrant nozzles face challenges in achieving a secure, water-tight connection with fire hoses due to the use of less malleable materials like bronze, which complicates repetitive connections and disconnections, and may not provide sufficient durability for high-flow firefighting applications.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an annular sleeve with a radially inward protruding portion that can be deformed to securely engage with the fire hydrant outlet, featuring a thinner first portion for easy bending and a thicker second portion for strength, along with external threads for fire hose connection, ensuring a durable and watertight seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bronze material is used for the nozzle, then manufacturing precision and durability are improved, but ease of operation for repetitive connections is worsened due to less malleability
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is divided into multiple portions with different wall thicknesses: a first portion with greater wall thickness for durability and sealing, and a second portion with lesser wall thickness for ease of bending and connection. This segmentation allows different regions of the same component to serve different functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the nozzle have different local properties: the first portion has greater wall thickness providing strength and sealing capability, while the second portion has lesser wall thickness providing malleability for connection operations. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between durability and ease of operation.
2Strength
If the nozzle wall thickness is increased for strength, then durability is improved, but ease of bending for connection is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is segmented into a first portion with greater wall thickness for strength and a second portion with lesser wall thickness for bending ease. This allows the component to have both high strength where needed and high formability where required during manufacturing and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle exhibits local quality variation in wall thickness: the first portion has increased wall thickness to provide structural strength and sealing, while the second portion has reduced wall thickness to facilitate bending operations during connection to fire hydrants and hoses.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional threaded connection is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but connection reliability under high-flow conditions is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle utilizes the flexibility of the thinner second portion to create a deformable connection that can conform to the fire hydrant outlet and hose interface, forming a more reliable seal under high-flow conditions compared to rigid threaded connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection interface transitions from a static threaded connection to a dynamic deformable connection where the thinner nozzle portion can bend and conform to mating surfaces, maintaining seal integrity under varying flow conditions and pressure loads.
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
This configuration enhances the durability and reliability of the nozzle connections, allowing for repeated use while maintaining a secure and watertight seal, even under high-flow conditions, thereby supporting effective firefighting operations.
Implementation Method 1
The first portion of the inlet end is configured to be bent to facilitate movement of the fire hydrant connection element into connection with a fire hydrant
Implementation Method 2
The fire hydrant connection element and the annular sleeve are non-elastically deformed radially outward to engage the fire hydrant outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A fire hydrant nozzle includes an annular sleeve, which has an annular wall, an inlet end, and an outlet end. The inlet end has a fire hydrant connection element extending from the inlet end and configured to couple with a fire hydrant outlet. The fire hydrant connection element has a portion protruding radially inward, the portion protruding radially inward configured to be moved with respect to the outlet end to connect with the fire hydrant outlet. Another embodiment includes an inlet end and an outlet end, the outlet end configured to couple with a fire hose, the inlet end having a fire hydrant connection element and a first portion with a wall thickness less than a wall thickness of the outlet end. The first portion of the inlet end is configured to be bent to facilitate movement of the fire hydrant connection element into connection with a fire hydrant.