Integral Fluid Coupling with Snap-Fit Nipples
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Solution Overview
Problem
Brazed fluid connections in industrial applications, such as gas turbine engines, face issues with distortion, location inaccuracies, and increased failure points due to added stress and vibration, particularly in spray bars where reliability and durability are critical.
Innovation Solution
A fluid coupling assembly featuring a single-piece metal construction with a plate and nipples, where the nipples have a threaded outer periphery, a ramped surface, and a ditch, with circumferentially spaced fingers that snap into the ditch for secure engagement, eliminating the need for brazing and reducing failure points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If two separate couplings are brazed together to connect supply lines, then the fluid connection can be assembled, but distortion, location inaccuracies, and additional failure points occur due to vibration and stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate couplings into a single integral coupling body with two nipples. This eliminates the brazed joint between separate couplings, removing the failure points and distortion issues associated with brazing while maintaining the ability to connect multiple supply lines. The integral construction ensures accurate location and alignment of connection points.
2Ease of manufacture
If brazing is used to connect couplings, then assembly is possible, but distortion and location issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the couplings into a single integral piece, the patent eliminates the brazing process entirely. The nipples are precisely located and formed as part of the integral coupling body during manufacturing, ensuring accurate location and alignment without the distortion and location inaccuracies that occur with brazing operations.
3Ease of operation
If separate couplings are connected by brazing, then the system can be assembled, but additional failure points are created under vibration and stress
Solution Approach 1:
The integral coupling body eliminates weak brazed joints that are susceptible to failure under vibration and stress. The monolithic construction provides continuous material structure without intermediate joints, significantly improving strength and durability in high-vibration environments while maintaining assembly capability through the nipple-coupling interface design.
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 solution provides a reliable and durable fluid connection that minimizes distortion and failure points, enhancing the structural integrity and performance in high-vibration environments like gas turbine engines by using an integral metal piece with a secure thread and groove mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
These fingers snap into a ditch beyond the frustoconical surface, and this provides a force locking the component to the nipple
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid coupling assembly has a single fluid connection, including a plate and at least a pair of nipples extending away from the plate in a first direction, and at least a pair of connection pipes connected to each of the nipples extending from the plate in a second opposed direction. The nipples include a thread at an outer periphery, a ramped surface spaced in a direction beyond the thread and towards the plate, and a ditch beyond the ramped surface. A fluid coupling has a thread at an inner periphery received on the thread on the nipple, and the coupling has a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers spaced by grooves, with the fingers being snapped into the ditch and is biased against the ramped surface. The plate, at least a pair of nipples and at least a pair of connection pipes are all formed of an integral piece of metal.