Flanged Ring Connector With Integrated Seal and Reinforcing Seat

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flanged ring connectors for HVAC ducting face challenges in ensuring proper gasket assembly and sealing, and they often lack sufficient stiffness, especially in large-diameter applications, which can lead to increased costs and complexity.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a flanged ring connector with a mating flange and an insertion flange, featuring a seat that can receive a seal or reinforcing member to enhance structural integrity and sealing efficiency, allowing for various cross-sectional shapes and configurations to match HVAC ducting, including double-wall systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a gasket is glued to the mating flange, then sealing is achieved, but additional labor is required and the gasket may become damaged or detached during transport or assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gasket is integrated with the mating flange to form a single unit, eliminating the need for separate gasket installation. The gasket is positioned within a groove formed in the mating flange, creating a unified component that reduces assembly steps and prevents gasket detachment during handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The gasket is pre-positioned within the groove of the mating flange during manufacturing, so that sealing is already prepared before assembly. This preliminary positioning ensures the gasket is correctly placed and secured, eliminating the need for additional labor during field assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If flanged rings are made from thicker gauge material, then stiffness and structural integrity are improved, but cost, weight, and difficulty in forming increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflanged ring stiffnessVSAvoidforming difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly thickening the entire flanged ring, the invention adds external hems and returns at specific locations where structural support is needed. This localized reinforcement provides the necessary stiffness and strength while maintaining the overall thin-gauge construction, making the component easier and more cost-effective to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention increases the section modulus of the flanged ring by adding dimensional features in the form of external hems and returns. These features extend the material distribution further from the neutral axis, increasing moment of inertia and stiffness without requiring thicker base material, thus maintaining ease of forming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11953225B2Sealed and/or reinforced flanged ring connector for single- and double-wall HVAC ducting

Publication Date: 2024.04.09 HERMANSON JEFFREY ALLEN

AI summary

A flanged ring connector (50) for connecting adjacent ends of HVAC ducting (52) includes an insertion flange portion to engage within the interior of the ducting. A mating flange portion (56) extends laterally or transversely to the insertion flange portion (54). A seat (58) is formed along the mating flange portion (56) to receive and retain a seal (60) and/or a reinforcing member or bead (90).