Elbow Pigtail Hose Layout for Confined Gas Canister Spaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas supply systems for portable gas canisters in vehicles and trailers face challenges with space constraints, leading to hose bending that can weaken the hose and cause leaks, and the addition of gas safety valves increases the assembly size, making it difficult to fit within limited storage spaces.
Innovation Solution
A pigtail hose with an elbow fitting provides an angled connection between the gas canister and regulator, allowing for the incorporation of gas safety valves without significant hose bending, using a machined metal elbow fitting with threaded connectors and adhesive for secure, gas-tight connections, ensuring a compact and robust assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hose is made thick-walled and stiff to be gas-tight and robust, then the hose strength and gas-tightness are improved, but the hose requires large bending radius and may contact storage space walls
Solution Approach 1:
The elbow fitting changes the spatial arrangement from linear to angular, allowing the hose to connect components at right angles without bending. This dimensional change in connection geometry enables the hose to maintain its straight configuration while accommodating the spatial relationship between gas canister and regulator.
2Reliability
If gas safety valves are added to prevent gas leaks, then the safety is improved, but the assembly size increases and becomes difficult to fit within storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The elbow fitting integrates the connection function and spatial orientation function into a single component. By combining the 90-degree angle change with the connection interface, it eliminates the need for additional spatial buffers that would otherwise be required, allowing safety valves to be incorporated without proportionally increasing overall assembly volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The elbow fitting utilizes angular spatial arrangement to compact the assembly layout. By connecting components at right angles rather than in linear extension, it reduces the overall footprint and volume occupied by the gas supply assembly, enabling safety features to be added without exceeding storage space constraints.
3Volume of stationary object
If the hose is bent significantly to accommodate relative positions, then the hose can fit within storage space, but the hose strength is weakened and wear risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elbow fitting provides the necessary spatial adaptation through a rigid 90-degree angle rather than flexible bending. This allows the hose to maintain its optimal strength configuration while achieving the required spatial connection between gas canister and regulator within confined storage spaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A pigtail hose is described for connecting a gas canister to a gas regulator. The pigtail hose includes a gas hose having an inlet end and an outlet end; and an elbow fitting connected to the inlet end of the gas hose. The elbow fitting has a bore which turns the gas supply through 90° at a convenient point of the gas supply assembly to assist with the connection of the canister in a confined storage space.