Fluid Connection Assembly With Spherical Misalignment Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid connection devices in thermoregulation circuits face challenges with angular and radial misalignment during coupling, leading to increased mating forces, risk of jamming, and wear due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A fluid connection device comprising a flange with an end piece that can incline relative to the flange and a rod with a sealed connection between the distal internal channel of the tip and the intermediate internal channel of the rod, eliminating the need for seals between the flange and the support, thus reducing friction and connection forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If seals are arranged between the support of the connection assembly and the deflection surface of the flange to ensure fluid sealing, then fluid sealing is improved, but the friction caused by the deflection movement of the flange increases, which increases the connection forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the seal from the system by eliminating the deflection flange mechanism. Instead of allowing the flange to deflect and wear seals, the invention uses a rigid flange with spherical seating surfaces that accommodate misalignment through a different mechanism (spherical rotation of the end piece), thereby extracting the harmful sealing-friction relationship from the system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic capability through the spherical seating surfaces and the ability of the end piece to rotate spherically relative to the flange. This dynamic adjustment allows the connection to accommodate angular misalignment without requiring deflection movement that would friction against seals
2Adaptability or versatility
If a deflection flange is used to tolerate angular misalignment during coupling, then adaptability to misalignment is improved, but the friction and connection forces increase due to the deflection movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spheroidality by providing spherical seating surfaces on both the flange and the end piece. This spherical geometry allows the end piece to rotate and accommodate angular misalignment smoothly without the sliding friction inherent in deflection flange mechanisms, thereby maintaining adaptability while reducing connection forces
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical seating surfaces act as an intermediary mechanism between the rigid flange and the end piece, enabling angular misalignment tolerance through spherical rotation rather than through deflection movement that would require seals and generate friction
3Reliability
If seals are used between the flange and the support to maintain fluid sealing, then fluid sealing is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the seal components from the system by replacing the sealed deflection flange mechanism with a spherical seating arrangement. The fluid sealing is maintained through the spherical interface between the end piece and flange, removing the need for additional seals between the flange and support
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a fluid connection device (2), comprising a flange (23), and a tip (25) crossed by a distal internal channel (251) and configured to be fluidically coupled to a complementary connection device (3). The tip, mounted in the flange with the possibility of inclination relative to the flange (23), comprises a rear end (252), and a front end (259). The invention also comprises a rod (27) comprising an intermediate internal channel (271), a front end, mounted in sealed cooperation with the rear end of the tip with the possibility of inclination of the rod relative to the tip and relative to the flange for fluid communication between the distal internal channel (251) of the tip and the intermediate internal channel of the rod, and a rear end (273) for fluid communication between a proximal internal conduit (213) and the intermediate internal channel.