Test or filling adapter provided with a safety body

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fluid transfer adapters on assembly lines are cumbersome and prone to misalignment during maintenance, leading to potential loss of seals and internal springs, requiring delicate and time-consuming reassembly, and lack a secure mechanism for fluidic closure during separation.

Innovation Solution

A fluid transfer adapter with a coupling system featuring a safety valve and a mirror element that automatically closes the fluid conduit when the attachment module is uncoupled, ensuring a sealed connection and simplifying the reassembly process by locking the safety member in the locked position, allowing for quick and secure detachment without manual closure of the safety valve.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If the attachment module is separated for maintenance or valve replacement, then the valves can be accessed and replaced, but the risk of losing seals and internal springs increases and reassembly becomes time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to valves for maintenanceVSAvoidrisk of losing seals and internal springs
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter is divided into separable modules (attachment module and power supply module) that can be detached for maintenance while maintaining control over the separation process through the safety member mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The safety valve automatically closes before the attachment module is fully separated, and the safety member must be deliberately actuated to unlock, ensuring fluid closure is established before maintenance access is granted

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the coupling system allows easy separation for maintenance, then repair time is reduced, but misalignment during reassembly increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of detachmentVSAvoidalignment during reassembly
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling system uses asymmetric features including polarized elements and specifically shaped coupling interfaces that guide correct alignment during reassembly, making misalignment difficult while maintaining easy separation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Productivity

If the safety valve remains open during uncoupling, then fluid flow is maintained, but fluid loss and pollution occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous fluid flowVSAvoidfluid loss and pollution
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The safety valve closes automatically as a preliminary action when the safety member is moved to the unlocked position, ensuring fluid closure is established before the coupling system can separate and fluid loss can occur

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mirror element provides visual feedback to confirm the safety valve closure state, allowing operators to verify that the valve is closed before proceeding with uncoupling operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3436396B1Test or filling adapter provided with a safety body
Publication Date: 2020.01.29 FIVES FILLING & SEALING
  • EP3436396B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3436396B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3436396B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a test or filling adapter (1) for a container to be filled with a fluid, comprising a body (10), an attachment module (3), and a coupling system (30) having a coupled position in which a tight connection is established between the body and the attachment module, and an uncoupled position. The body includes a supply module (2) comprising a group of conduits, at least one of which is a fluid conduit (221). Said fluid conduit is provided with a safety valve (5) that can be moved between an open configuration and a closed configuration, and is connected to a mirror element (51) that has a first configuration in which the safety valve is in the open configuration and a second configuration in which the safety valve is in the closed configuration. The filling adapter comprises a safety body (6) cooperating with the coupling system.