Flare Fitting Gasket Guide for Confined Sleeve Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The confined space of a female flare fitting with a non-retractable internally threaded sleeve obstructs the insertion of a gasket, making it difficult to connect a male flare fitting to a female flare fitting on a piping system.
Innovation Solution
A gasket installation guide with a body and a pushrod, featuring a tapered shaft and a handle that allows the gasket to be aligned and compressed for easy insertion into the female flare fitting, and also serves as a storage container for gaskets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a non-retractable internally threaded sleeve is used in the female flare fitting, then the structural integrity and threading functionality are improved, but the ease of inserting the gasket deteriorates due to obstruction of access to the opening
Solution Approach 1:
A gasket installation guide serves as an intermediary tool that bridges the gap between the gasket and the female flare fitting opening. The guide features a shaft that extends through the non-retractable sleeve to reach the opening, allowing the gasket to be inserted through the guide rather than directly into the obstructed opening. This intermediary device enables gasket installation without requiring modification to the sleeve structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the female flare fitting has a non-retractable internally threaded sleeve protruding above the opening, then the threading functionality is maintained, but the accessibility to the opening for gasket insertion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket installation guide utilizes a longitudinal dimension by extending a shaft through the sleeve structure. Instead of attempting to access the opening from the side or top where the sleeve blocks access, the guide inserts through the length of the sleeve from the external end to reach the opening at the bottom, effectively using the longitudinal dimension to bypass the obstruction.
3Ease of operation
If the gasket is compressed prior to insertion using a sphero-conical shaft, then the ease of insertion is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the specialized shaft shape
Solution Approach 1:
The sphero-conical shaft changes the physical state of the gasket by applying compression force, transforming it from an uncompressed circular shape to a compressed elongated shape that can more easily fit through the opening. This parameter change (compression) is achieved through the geometric shape of the shaft, which naturally applies force as the gasket is pushed through, simplifying the insertion process without requiring additional mechanisms.
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
Facilitates easy and proper alignment and insertion of gaskets into female flare fittings, enhancing the connection process and providing a convenient storage solution for gaskets.
Implementation Method 1
The sphero-conical shape of the shaft also causes the gasket to be slightly compressed prior to insertion
Data Source
AI summary
A gasket installation guide and method of use wherein the gasket installation guide is used to aid in the insertion of gaskets into flair connector comprising a body that is inserted into the flair connector to align the center hole that passes through the body with the female flare fitting of the flair connector, so that the gasket can be easily installed.