Fluid Fitting Stop Geometry for Torque-Free Connection Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid fittings, such as flareless fittings, face challenges in ensuring a sufficient connection due to tolerance stack-ups and limited axial travel between the male and female components, making it difficult to determine if a secure connection has been made without using a torque wrench.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates corresponding stops on the nut and union with a mating angle of less than 12 degrees, including helical stops and visual indicators, which provide tactile and visual confirmation of a secure connection, and a sliding stop mechanism to prevent over-torquing, ensuring consistent axial force application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a torque wrench is used to ensure sufficient connection, then connection reliability is improved, but operation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting components provide self-verification through visual indicators and tactile feedback mechanisms. The system serves itself by incorporating features like index marks, color codes, and mechanical stops that automatically indicate when proper connection is achieved, eliminating the need for external torque wrench verification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical torque measurement system with visual and tactile indication systems. Instead of relying on torque wrench readings, the connection status is indicated through visual markers, color changes, and mechanical engagement feedback that can be sensed without specialized tools
2Reliability
If tolerance stack-up is reduced to ensure sufficient connection, then connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design incorporates built-in compensation features such as adjustable stops, elastic elements, and tolerance buffers that absorb and accommodate manufacturing variations. These features are designed in advance to cushion against the effects of tolerance stack-up, ensuring reliable connection despite normal manufacturing variations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameters such as mating angles less than 12 degrees, adjustable stop positions, and flexible connection geometries that can adapt to tolerance variations. By changing these geometric and mechanical parameters, the system maintains reliable connection across a range of manufacturing tolerances without requiring extremely tight precision
3Reliability
If axial travel between components is increased to ensure sufficient connection, then connection reliability is improved, but device dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from relying solely on axial travel to a multi-dimensional verification system. Visual indicators, circumferential positioning markers, and angular orientation features provide connection verification in additional dimensions, allowing sufficient connection to be confirmed without requiring extended axial travel distance
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid fitting includes a nut, a sleeve, and a union. The union and the nut may include corresponding stops. Corresponding stops may engage with each other when the nut is sufficiently connected with the union. A method of designing a fluid fitting including a union may include determining a gauge diameter of the union, determining a plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the union that includes a center point of the gauge diameter, determining a point of intersection of threads of the union with the perpendicular plane, and/or determining a position of a stop according to an angle from the point of intersection.