Frangible Coupling Assembly for Controlled Impact Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional coupling assemblies rigidly connect components, causing damage when an impact is transferred between them, as they do not effectively absorb or dissipate the impact load.
Innovation Solution
A coupling assembly featuring a pin and housing with frangible portions that align and break upon exceeding a predetermined load, designed to decouple components and absorb impact by shearing at specific weakened areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional rigid fasteners and coupling assemblies are used to rigidly couple components together, then the components are kept in rigid contact with one another, but an impact may transfer from one component to the other component, damaging both components
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling assembly is segmented into distinct frangible portions within both the pin and housing that are designed to break at predetermined locations. These segmented weak points allow the coupling to fail in a controlled manner, absorbing impact energy through fracture rather than transmitting it to the protected components.
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible portions are designed as sacrificial elements that are intended to break and be replaced after absorbing an impact. These disposable weak points protect the more valuable components by taking the damage themselves, allowing the coupling assembly to be replaced rather than the protected components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If frangible portions are introduced to prevent impact transfer, then impact loads are absorbed and components are protected, but the coupling assembly may break under normal operational loads
Solution Approach 1:
The pin and housing have different local qualities: most of the structure is made with high strength material and geometry, while specific localized frangible portions are created with reduced cross-sectional area or material properties. This allows the coupling to be strong where needed and weak where intended for controlled failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible portions are pre-designed and pre-positioned during manufacturing at specific locations where failure would be most beneficial. This preliminary placement of weak points ensures that when an impact occurs, the fracture happens at the predetermined locations rather than randomly throughout the coupling assembly.
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 coupling assembly effectively absorbs and dissipates impact loads, preventing damage to coupled components by breaking along frangible portions, thereby protecting them from excessive stress.
Implementation Method 1
The pin includes a shaft and a pin frangible portion formed in the shaft. The housing includes a hollow body and a housing frangible portion formed in the hollow body. When the pin is received in the hollow body the pin frangible portion aligns with the housing frangible portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling assembly for coupling a first component to a second component, the coupling assembly includes a pin and a housing. The pin includes a shaft and a pin frangible portion formed in the shaft. The housing includes a hollow body and a housing frangible portion formed in the hollow body. The housing is configured to receive the pin such that the shaft of the pin is received within the hollow body. When the pin is received in the hollow body the pin frangible portion aligns with the housing frangible portion.