Grip Lock Sprinkler Connector for Leakproof Push-Fit Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire sprinkler system installations face challenges with solvent welding, requiring skill and time, and are hindered by access issues and time constraints when completed after wall finishings, necessitating a rapid and skill-less connection method for head adapters.
Innovation Solution
A grip lock connector with a ring of gripper teeth and a gasket for a secure, leakproof connection between the water supply pipe and the fire sprinkler, which does not require adhesive or welding, and can withstand hydraulic pressures, allowing for immediate service readiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solvent welding is used to join fire sprinkler pipes and fittings, then a permanent watertight joint is achieved, but the installation process requires skill and time for application and curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding mechanism of solvent welding with a mechanical gripping system. The grip lock connector uses a ring of gripper teeth that mechanically engage with the pipe through interference fit, eliminating the need for solvent application and curing time while achieving a secure, permanent connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the solvent welding process from the connection method. By removing the chemical bonding step entirely and replacing it with a pure mechanical gripping mechanism, the patent eliminates the time-consuming application and curing phases while maintaining connection reliability.
2Reliability
If solvent welding is used for fire sprinkler plumbing, then permanent watertight joints are created, but limited access after wall finishings makes the process difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex chemical process of solvent welding with a simple mechanical insertion and gripping action. The grip lock connector can be installed by simply pushing it onto the pipe until the gripper teeth engage, requiring no special skills or access conditions, making it ideal for tight spaces after wall finishings.
3Reliability
If head adapters are installed using solvent welding, then reliable connections are achieved, but the installation process is time-consuming and requires skilled labor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the multi-step solvent welding process with a single mechanical insertion action. The grip lock connector achieves reliable connection through the interference fit of gripper teeth and the sealing action of the O-ring, eliminating the need for solvent application, waiting, and curing, thereby dramatically increasing installation speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip lock connector is designed to be self-installing through its push-fit mechanism. The connector automatically engages with the pipe through the gripper teeth and self-seals using the O-ring, requiring no external assistance or special skills, thereby enabling rapid installation by any worker.
4Stability of the object's composition
If solvent welding is used for fire sprinkler connections, then permanent joints are achieved, but skill and time are required for proper application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemically complex solvent welding process with a mechanically simple gripping system. The grip lock connector uses straightforward mechanical interference fit and O-ring sealing, eliminating the need for skillful solvent application while maintaining permanent joint stability.
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
Facilitates rapid, skill-less installation of fire sprinkler connections, ensuring a tight, leakproof seal and immediate resistance to operational pressures, addressing the limitations of solvent welding in fire suppression systems.
Implementation Method 1
a multiplicity of gripper teeth (42) forming a grip lock connection to the water supply pipe (200)
Implementation Method 2
A gasket or O-ring (54) directly behind the gripper teeth (42) facilitates a leakproof connection
Data Source
AI summary
A grip lock connector member which connects a supply pipe from a source of water to a fire sprinkler through an interior grip lock connector. The grip lock connector includes a multiplicity of gripper teeth which form a tight grip connection to the supply pipe. The supply pipe is retained within an interior chamber and grasped and retained by the multiplicity of gripper teeth at the interior end of the interior chamber. A gasket or O-ring directly behind the gripper teeth facilitates a leakproof connection. At its opposite end, the grip lock connector includes female mating threads which receive male threads at a top location of a fire sprinkler.