Fluid Connector Conical Insertion Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid connectors for medical and other applications often require complex and costly designs to achieve a fluid-tight connection, which can be prone to contamination and manufacturing tolerance issues.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring conically expanding insertion sections within the connector body, allowing for a non-complementary surface connection that creates a defined space for adhesive and facilitates a friction fit, with the option for solvent or mechanical expansion to ensure a secure, gas-tight and liquid-tight seal without the need for a lost mold encapsulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If complementary surface design is used for connection, then connection precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and requires lost mold encapsulation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of designing the insertion section with a complementary shape to the connecting section (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by giving the insertion section a conically expanding shape that is larger inward toward the fluid passage. This inverted design creates an interference fit that ensures fluid-tight connection without requiring complex complementary surface design or lost mold encapsulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the insertion section by implementing a conical expansion with a specific cone angle (20°-30°). This parameter change creates a tapered geometry that provides both ease of insertion and a secure friction fit, eliminating the need for complex complementary surface designs while maintaining manufacturing precision.
2Reliability
If friction fit is used for connection, then connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters by implementing a conical expansion with a specific cone angle range (20°-30°). This parameter change creates a tapered geometry that provides both ease of insertion and a secure friction fit, eliminating the need for complex complementary surface designs while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dynamic element by allowing the connector body to be reversibly widened through solvent swelling or mechanical expansion during the connection process. This dynamic adjustment compensates for manufacturing tolerances and ensures reliable friction fit connection even with varying dimensional tolerances.
3Ease of operation
If solvent swelling or mechanical expansion is used, then ease of insertion is improved, but connection process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic element by allowing the connector body to be reversibly widened through solvent swelling or mechanical expansion during the connection process. This dynamic adjustment compensates for manufacturing tolerances and ensures reliable friction fit connection even with varying dimensional tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the connector body material by utilizing solvent swelling (changing chemical environment) or mechanical expansion (changing physical dimensions). These parameter changes temporarily increase the insertion opening diameter to facilitate insertion, then return to the original state to create the secure friction fit.
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
The design provides a simple, cost-effective, and secure fluid-tight connection that compensates for manufacturing tolerances and prevents contamination, ensuring reliable assembly and operation in medical, pharmaceutical, and food technology systems.
Implementation Method 1
The connector body can be widened at least in the area of the insertion openings of the insertion sections. This expansion can be done by means of solvent swelling of the connector body
Implementation Method 2
The deviation from the complementary design due to the widening of the insertion sections results in a reservoir or an annular space between the fluid-carrying component on the one hand and the inner wall of the insertion section on the other hand, in which, for example, a defined quantity of a connecting adhesive can be accommodated.
Implementation Method 3
Due to the expansion, a design is also possible in which the insertion section only partially bears against an outer wall of the connecting section of the fluid-carrying component that has been introduced. This facilitates the introduction of the fluid-carrying component and can nevertheless ensure a sufficient friction fit for fixing the introduced fluid-carrying component against undesired slipping out during the connection process.
Implementation Method 4
This expansion can be done by means of solvent swelling of the connector body or by mechanical expansion.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A connector (1) is used for the fluid-tight connection of at least two fluid-carrying components (16a). The connector (1) has a connector main body (2). At least two insertion portions (3 to 5), each for the insertion of a respective connection portion of the fluid-carrying component (16a), are formed in this connector main body (2). At least one of the insertion portions (3 to 5) widens inwards towards a fluid passage (6, 7) inside the connector main body (2). The insertion portion (3 to 5) merges into the fluid passage (6, 7) via a constriction step (12). This results in a connector and a fluid transfer assembly having such a connector, where a fluid-tight connection of the connector to the fluid-carrying components is ensured as easily and inexpensively as possible, but at the same time in a reliable manner.