Flexible Insert Mounting for Fluid Discharge Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fluid discharge devices, such as air manifolds and air knives, face challenges in mounting due to distortions caused by manufacturing stresses, which can lead to fitment issues and inefficiencies in directing air flows effectively.
Innovation Solution
A mounting system with a plastic or polymer insert providing radial clearance for the inlet of the fluid discharge device, allowing for compensation of distortions and secure fitting, combined with an adjustable tool-free fastener for rotational positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid mounting system is used to secure the fluid discharge device, then the mounting stability is improved, but the fitment quality deteriorates due to manufacturing-induced distortions
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system changes the physical state of the insert from rigid to flexible, allowing it to deform and adapt to the inlet's distorted shape. This parameter change enables the insert to maintain both mounting stability and fitment quality by accommodating manufacturing variations through elastic deformation rather than rigid constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is made from a flexible material that can conform to the inlet's distorted geometry. This flexible component acts as a compliant interface between the rigid mounting plate and the distorted inlet, providing both secure mounting and accommodation of manufacturing tolerances through its ability to elastically deform.
2Manufacturing precision
If a custom-fitted mounting solution is created for each distorted inlet, then the fitment quality is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible insert serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for mounting, accommodates various distortion patterns, seals the interface, and absorbs manufacturing tolerances. This single universal component replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized parts, simplifying the overall mounting system while maintaining fitment quality across different inlet variations.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the material properties of the insert to be flexible rather than rigid, the system can accommodate a wide range of distortion patterns without requiring custom-designed mounting solutions for each case. The flexibility parameter enables a standardized component to adapt to variable conditions, reducing device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the mounting system is made rigid and fixed, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the adaptability to positioning adjustments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system where the flexible insert can adapt its shape based on the inlet's distortion. This dynamic capability allows the simple flexible insert design to provide both ease of manufacture and adaptability to positioning requirements without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible insert provides inherent adaptability through its material properties, allowing it to conform to different inlet positions and orientations. This flexibility eliminates the need for complex adjustment mechanisms while maintaining manufacturing simplicity, as the same simple insert design works across various positioning scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid discharge device having a main body with first and second ends may be mounted to one or more components of a system. The first end may include an inlet for receiving a fluid flow. A mounting system may include a first mounting plate having an opening with a diameter that is greater than the inlet diameter. An insert may include an outside wall configured to be fitted to the opening of the first mounting plate and may include an inside wall that defines another opening through which the inlet of the fluid discharge device may be fitted. The opening defined by the inside wall of the insert may provide a radial clearance for the inlet that compensates for distortions and/or deviations from an expected inlet and/or main body shape, wherein such distortions may be caused at least partially by stresses experienced during manufacturing.