Fluid Line Locking Connector for High-Pressure Hydrogen Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid connections in vehicles, particularly hydrogen lines, face challenges in maintaining fluid tightness under high pressure and require easy assembly and disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A connecting element comprising a receiving sleeve and an insertion nozzle with aligned slots and locking arms, along with stabilizing bridges, ensures a stable and fluid-tight connection that can withstand high pressure and is easy to assemble and disassemble.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional connecting elements are used for hydrogen lines, then fluid tightness can be achieved, but assembly and disassembly become difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting element is divided into distinct functional components: receiving sleeve, insertion nozzle, and locking element. The locking element itself is segmented into multiple locking arms that can independently engage with corresponding features on the nozzle and sleeve, allowing for simplified assembly while maintaining secure fluid-tight connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element acts as an intermediary component that mediates between the receiving sleeve and insertion nozzle. It provides a simple pull-to-release mechanism that simultaneously maintains fluid tightness during operation and enables easy disassembly when needed, resolving the contradiction between secure connection and ease of operation.
2Volume of moving object
If tight bend radii are used in fluid lines to save space, then space availability improves, but connection reliability and fluid tightness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element incorporates resilient locking arms that can dynamically adapt to misalignments and stress variations caused by tight bend radii. The arms can flex and adjust to maintain reliable engagement even when the fluid lines are routed with tight bends, preserving connection reliability while allowing compact space utilization.
3Reliability
If high pressure loads are withstood by the connecting element, then fluid tightness is maintained, but the complexity of the connecting element increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arms are designed to self-adjust and self-lock under high pressure loads. The resilient nature of the locking arms allows them to automatically increase their engagement force in response to pressure, maintaining fluid tightness without requiring additional complex pressure-compensating mechanisms or adjustment features.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a connecting element (100) for establishing a fluid connection with two fluid lines, comprising: a receiving sleeve (101) which can be fluidically connected to a first fluid line, wherein the receiving sleeve (101) has a sleeve wall (103) which defines a sleeve interior (105), wherein a first sleeve slot (127) and a second sleeve slot (129) opposite the first sleeve slot (127) are formed in the sleeve wall (103); an insertion nozzle (107) which can be fluidically connected to a second fluid line, wherein the insertion nozzle (107) can be inserted into the sleeve interior (105) of the receiving sleeve (101) to provide the fluid connection, wherein a first nozzle slot (131) and a second nozzle slot (133) opposite the first nozzle slot (131) are formed in the insertion nozzle (107).wherein, in the inserted state of the insertion sleeve (107), the first sleeve slot (127) and the first nozzle slot (131) are aligned with each other, and the second sleeve slot (129) and the second nozzle slot (133) are aligned with each other, and a locking element (135) which has a first locking arm (137) and a second locking arm (139) opposite the first locking arm (137), wherein, in the inserted state of the insertion sleeve (107), the first locking arm (137) is arranged at least partially in the first sleeve slot (127) and the first nozzle slot (131), and the second locking arm (139) is arranged at least partially in the second sleeve slot (129) and the second nozzle slot (133) in order to lock the insertion sleeve (107) to the receiving sleeve (101).