Heated Fluid Coupling Assembly with Integrated Electrical Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid coupling arrangements for electrically heatable fluid lines are complex in production and suffer from inefficient heat transfer and insulation, leading to heat loss and mechanical vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
A connection arrangement where fluid coupling parts with integrated electrical heating elements are directly connected to electrical connector parts via encapsulation, which provides thermal insulation and mechanical protection, allowing for quick and detachable connections while minimizing heat loss and enhancing heating efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electrical connector parts are arranged laterally offset on fluid coupling parts, then the connection arrangement allows for separate assembly of electrical and fluid components, but the production complexity increases and the overall structure becomes more vulnerable to mechanical stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the electrical connector parts directly into the fluid coupling parts by forming them as one piece during the molding process. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly of electrical and fluid components, thereby reducing production complexity while maintaining the adaptability of separate assembly when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid coupling parts are designed to serve multiple functions: they provide fluid connection, electrical connection, and mechanical coupling all in one component. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of parts and assembly steps, addressing the production complexity issue while preserving versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If electrical connector parts are arranged laterally offset on fluid coupling parts, then assembly flexibility is maintained, but mechanical protection against environmental stresses is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the electrical connector parts with the fluid coupling parts into a single integrated component, the patent provides unified mechanical protection. The housing structure protects both electrical and fluid connection elements simultaneously, enhancing reliability against environmental stresses like stone chipping and corrosion while maintaining assembly flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a housing structure that encloses and protects the integrated electrical and fluid coupling parts. This protective shell provides mechanical strength and environmental resistance while allowing the integrated design to maintain its assembly flexibility advantages.
3Power
If heating elements are directly connected to electrical connector parts, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the risk of heat loss to the environment increases without proper insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heating elements, electrical connector parts, and fluid coupling parts into an integrated assembly. This merging allows for optimized heat transfer pathways while enabling the implementation of comprehensive insulation strategies that prevent heat loss to the environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure serves as an insulating barrier that surrounds the heating elements and electrical connections. This protective shell minimizes heat loss to the environment while allowing the direct connection between heating elements and electrical connectors to maintain high heat transfer efficiency.
4Ease of manufacture
If the connection arrangement uses multiple separate components for fluid and electrical connections, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the overall structural strength and reliability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into fewer components, reducing the total number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled. The integrated design maintains manufacturing simplicity through efficient molding processes while significantly enhancing structural strength and reliability by eliminating weak points at connection interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction techniques, combining different materials optimized for their specific functions within the integrated coupling parts. This approach maintains ease of manufacture through standardized molding processes while achieving superior structural strength and reliability through material optimization.
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
This solution simplifies the production of fluid coupling arrangements, ensures effective heat transfer, reduces heat loss, and provides mechanical protection against environmental stresses, enhancing the overall performance and reliability of electrically heatable fluid lines.
Implementation Method 1
each of the two fluid coupling parts (10, 12) has at least one electric heating element (26) for heating the fluid
Implementation Method 2
the fluid coupling parts (10, 12), including the heating elements (26) and the electrical connector parts (14, 16), are surrounded by an encapsulation (34)
Data Source
Figure 1~6
Figure 7
Figure 8~9
AI summary
The present invention relates to a connection arrangement (1) for quickly and detachably connecting two electrically heated fluid lines (2, 4). The connection arrangement consists of two coupling parts (6, 8), each comprising one of two corresponding fluid coupling parts (10, 12) that can be coupled to one another and connected to one of the two fluid lines (2, 4) to be connected, as well as at least one electrical connector part (14, 16; 36, 38) such that by joining the two coupling parts (6, 8) the fluid coupling parts (10, 12) on the one hand and the electrical connector parts (14, 16) on the other hand can be connected together.The fluid coupling parts (10, 12) each have at least one electrical heating element (26/40) for heating the fluid, the heating elements (26/40) of the two fluid coupling parts (10, 12) being directly electrically connectable via the electrical connector parts (14, 16; 36, 38). Furthermore, the fluid coupling parts (10, 12), including the heating elements (26/40) and the electrical connector parts (14, 16; 36, 38), are enclosed by a housing (34) which is divided into two housing parts (30, 32) in a coupling plane (28).