Hydrant Nozzle Cap Spacer for Leak Path and Antenna Indexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire hydrant nozzle caps often face issues with leak detection systems, where the gasket can block water drainage through a leak path, preventing pressure reduction and potentially indicating an incomplete valve closure, and there is a need to adjust the rotational indexing of the nozzle cap for optimal antenna orientation.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle cap spacer with a resilient spring arm that can be extended or compressed to adjust the rotational indexing and maintain a leak path, allowing for proper water drainage while orienting the antenna for effective signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a gasket is used to seal the nozzle cap with the nozzle, then the sealing performance is improved, but the leak path is blocked preventing water drainage and pressure reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is segmented by forming a notch that divides the continuous gasket material into separate sections. This segmentation creates a gap or channel through the gasket structure, allowing water to pass through while maintaining sealing contact at other areas. The segmented gasket thus simultaneously provides sealing function and enables leak path functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket has non-uniform properties due to the notch feature. In most areas, the gasket maintains full sealing contact with the nozzle cap and nozzle surfaces. However, in the localized region of the notch, the gasket material is interrupted to create an open channel. This local modification allows the gasket to perform different functions in different regions: sealing in most areas and permitting water flow in the notch area.
2Reliability
If the nozzle cap is tightly sealed to the nozzle, then the connection reliability is improved, but the rotational indexing adjustment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The notch in the gasket is pre-positioned at a specific angular location relative to the nozzle cap features. This preliminary positioning of the gasket notch aligns with corresponding features on the nozzle, pre-establishing the correct rotational indexing relationship. When the nozzle cap is assembled, the gasket's pre-positioned notch automatically guides and maintains the proper angular orientation, making indexing adjustment straightforward.
3Reliability
If the antenna orientation is optimized for signal transmission, then the leak detection system performance is improved, but the nozzle cap rotational positioning becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket notch is designed with an asymmetric cross-sectional shape or angular orientation that does not possess rotational symmetry. This asymmetric feature creates a unique geometric signature that must align with a corresponding asymmetric feature on the nozzle cap or nozzle. The asymmetric design ensures that only one specific rotational position achieves proper alignment, thereby fixing the antenna orientation for optimal signal transmission while simplifying the positioning process through geometric constraint rather than complexity.
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 spacer allows for effective water drainage and pressure reduction while ensuring the antenna is correctly oriented for signal transmission, enhancing the functionality of the leak detection system and nozzle cap alignment.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient first spacer spring arm extending from the outer body edge, wherein the first spacer spring arm is biased away from the spacer body in an extended orientation
Data Source
AI summary
A nozzle cap spacer for a hydrant nozzle cap includes a substantially planar spacer body defining an outer body edge; and a resilient spacer spring arm extending from the outer body edge at a proximal arm end, the spacer spring arm configurable in an extended orientation and a compressed orientation, the spacer spring arm biased to the extended orientation; wherein, in the extended orientation, the nozzle cap spacer defines a substantially oblong shape, and in the compressed orientation, the nozzle cap spacer defines a substantially circular shape.