Double-Walled Pipe Joint With Decoupled Sealing Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pipe connection technologies in aircraft face challenges with angular and length compensation, leading to leaks and increased wear due to elastic deformation of seals, especially in flexible structural components like wings, which require both fluid-tight and adaptable connections.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring concentrically positioned ball heads and ball cages with sealing elements that undergo uniform deformation, allowing for maximum angular mobility and length compensation without impairing the sealing function, while accommodating greater individual-part and assembly tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If elastic deformation of seal is used for angular and length compensation, then adaptability is improved, but wear increases and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection device is divided into multiple functional components: an articulation device with first and second articulation elements for angular compensation, a telescopic device with movable and fixed elements for length compensation, and a seal element. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without the seal undergoing damaging elastic deformation, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal element acts as an intermediary component that creates a fluid-tight connection between the articulation device and the pipe end without undergoing elastic deformation. The seal is positioned to contact smooth, wear-resistant surfaces designed specifically for sealing, while the articulation and telescopic mechanisms handle the compensation movements separately.
2Manufacturing precision
If narrow angular tolerance limitation is applied, then sealing precision is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The articulation device enables dynamic angular adjustment between the pipe end and the connecting element. The first and second articulation elements can rotate relative to each other around different axes, allowing the system to adapt to various angular positions without requiring precise pre-alignment during assembly. This dynamic capability eliminates the need for narrow angular tolerance limitations and complex measurement procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the angular parameter dynamically through the articulation mechanisms. The first articulation element provides rotation around a first axis, and the second articulation element provides rotation around a second axis perpendicular to the first. This multi-axis angular parameter adjustment allows the system to accommodate a wide range of angular positions while maintaining reliable sealing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If greater deflection angles and length changes are allowed, then adaptability is improved, but sealing reliability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The connection device is divided into multiple functional components: an articulation device with first and second articulation elements for angular compensation, a telescopic device with movable and fixed elements for length compensation, and a seal element. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without the seal undergoing damaging elastic deformation, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulation device enables dynamic angular adjustment between the pipe end and the connecting element. The first and second articulation elements can rotate relative to each other around different axes, allowing the system to adapt to various angular positions without requiring precise pre-alignment during assembly. This dynamic capability eliminates the need for narrow angular tolerance limitations and complex measurement procedures.
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 minimizes wear on sealing elements, maintains fluid-tight connections, and allows for greater deflection angles and length changes, simplifying aircraft assembly by enabling leak-tight connections without the need for precise measurement or orientation correction.
Implementation Method 1
sealing elements which, in the event of deflection of pipe ends relative to the connecting element, undergo a constant uniform deformation
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for connecting pipe ends (80, 82) of double-walled pipes (72, 74) for angular compensation and for length compensation of the relative movements of the double-walled pipes (72, 74) relative to a double-walled connector (10). On the double-walled connector (10), there are arranged concentrically with respect to one another first and second ball heads (20, 26). These are each sealingly engaged over by ball cages (52, 54). The ball cages (52, 54) are formed on double-walled attachments (46) of the double-walled pipe ends (80, 82). The sealing function for double-walled angular compensation and double-walled length compensation are configured so as to be decoupled from one another, and are therefore optimized, in the case of the device proposed according to the invention.