Fire Hydrant Stem Coupling Sleeve for Vibration and Impact Breakaway

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional fire hydrant stem couplings experience vibration due to physical clearance, leading to extra wear and operational difficulties when the hydrant is in use, and existing breakable components do not effectively manage impact forces from vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A fire hydrant stem coupling assembly featuring a coupling sleeve with a breaking element and coupling nuts that securely engage the upper and lower stems, reducing clearance and facilitating a rigid connection that can break under impact, thereby minimizing vibration and wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If physical clearance is left between the stem coupling and stems, then the stem coupling can be assembled and allow for thermal expansion, but turbulence of water causes vibration of the stem coupling and stems leading to extra wear and operational difficulty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal expansion accommodationVSAvoidvibration and wear

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful clearance space by filling it with a dampening material (such as rubber or foam) that absorbs vibrations and prevents the coupling from rattling against the stems, while still allowing thermal expansion through the compressible nature of the dampening material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The stem coupling employs composite construction combining rigid materials (metal) for structural strength with dampening materials (rubber or foam) to eliminate vibration and wear caused by water turbulence, creating a multi-material solution that addresses both structural and vibrational requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If the stem coupling is made rigid to reduce vibration, then wear is reduced, but the coupling cannot break under impact from vehicles protecting the hydrant components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration and wear reductionVSAvoidimpact resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The stem coupling is segmented into distinct functional zones: a rigid structural portion for strength and vibration reduction, and a breakable portion with a predetermined fracture point that can fail under extreme impact loads from vehicles, protecting the main hydrant components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling's mechanical properties are varied along its length, with the breakable portion having reduced cross-sectional area or material strength compared to the main body, creating a controlled weak point that sacrifices itself under impact while maintaining rigidity elsewhere to reduce vibration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11098814B2Stem coupling

Publication Date: 2021.08.24 KENNEDY VALVE CO

AI summary

A fire hydrant stem coupling sleeve includes a first end, a second end, and a medial section between the first end and the second end. The first end has external threads; the second end has external threads; the first end and the second end each have fingers defining slots between the fingers; the medial section includes a breaking element to facilitate breaking a rigid connection between the first end and the second end; and the medial section has a locator element configured to locate the sleeve with respect to a fire hydrant stem.