Fluid Connector Collar Alignment for Automotive A/C Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid connectors in the automobile industry face issues with misalignment during assembly, leading to pinched or cut O-rings, increased manufacturing and maintenance costs, high torque requirements, and potential leakage of fluids, particularly in automotive A/C systems.
Innovation Solution
A fluid connector design featuring a collar that encircles the connecting end of a conduit, with an internal bore for precise alignment of the conduits before assembly, reducing the risk of O-ring damage and requiring lower torque for assembly, while also providing protection against dust and moisture through a pocketed seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple O-ring encircling method is used to connect pipes, then the connector structure is simple, but misalignment occurs during assembly leading to pinched or cut O-rings and fluid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is pre-assembled onto the first conduit with the O-ring seal in place before the connection operation. This preliminary preparation ensures the O-ring is properly positioned and protected, eliminating misalignment issues during the actual connection when the collar's internal bore guides the second conduit into correct alignment with the first conduit.
2Reliability
If a dual plane seal with pilot and retaining nut is used, then the seal reliability is improved, but the assembly time increases and high torque is required for tightening
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the retaining nut and pilot components from the dual plane seal design. Instead, a collar with an internal bore is used to guide alignment and maintain the seal. This simplification removes the time-consuming tightening operation with high torque requirements while maintaining seal reliability through the collar's guiding function.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional connectors without alignment features are used, then the manufacturing cost is low, but misalignment leads to pinched or cut O-rings increasing maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is pre-assembled onto the first conduit with the O-ring seal in place before the connection operation. This preliminary preparation ensures the O-ring is properly positioned and protected, eliminating misalignment issues during the actual connection when the collar's internal bore guides the second conduit into correct alignment with the first conduit.
4Device complexity
If conventional connectors without protective features are used, then the device complexity is low, but the O-ring and connecting end are exposed to dust and moisture causing leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The collar acts as a protective shell that encloses the O-ring seal and connecting end of the first conduit. This flexible yet protective structure shields the critical sealing components from external harmful factors such as dust and moisture, preventing contamination and ensuring reliable sealing without adding excessive complexity to the overall device.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid connector includes a first conduit and a collar. The first conduit is hollow and has a fluid passageway. The collar is also hollow and encircles the first conduit, and includes an externally positioned attachment mechanism. The collar has an internal bore at a first end for inserting a second conduit. Also, a fluid connector assembly includes the fluid connector, a mating portion and a second conduit. The mating portion is attached to the second conduit and encircles it. The collar is inserted into an internal bore in the mating portion, so that the first conduit is aligned to the second conduit.