Hand-Securable Irrigation Coupling With Rotating Grip Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing irrigation systems face challenges in providing easy-to-install, watertight couplings that can be securely attached to valves and pipes without the need for tools, which complicates the assembly and maintenance of sprinkler systems.
Innovation Solution
A manifold system with threaded manifold fittings and couplings featuring a base member, shank, and flange, along with a grip member that can be rotated to engage and secure the fittings, allowing for a watertight seal and easy assembly by hand, enabling secure connections between pipes, valves, and conduits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional tool-free couplings are used, then ease of installation is improved, but connection security and watertight seal reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system employs nested components where the grip member fits over the base member, and the seal engages within the coupling body. This nested structure allows hand-operable components to work together to achieve secure, tool-free installation while maintaining reliable watertight seals through the coordinated interaction of nested elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling transitions from an unlocked state (where the grip member can rotate independently) to a locked state (where rotation of the grip member rotates the base member). This dynamic mechanism enables hand-operable installation while ensuring secure connection through the locked configuration that prevents disengagement.
2Strength
If threaded fittings are used for secure connections, then connection strength is improved, but ease of assembly deteriorates due to tool requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is designed to be self-servicing during installation. The grip member engages with the base member through threaded interaction, allowing the components to secure themselves through hand-tightening without requiring external tools. The self-locking mechanism maintains strong connections while enabling easy assembly.
3Ease of operation
If hand-operable couplings are used, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling is divided into distinct functional segments: the base member with threaded fittings for connection, the grip member for hand-operable rotation, the seal for watertight sealing, and the locking mechanism for securing the assembly. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while keeping the overall design manageable and manufacturable.
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling for an irrigation system may have a first member and a second member, each of which has threads that engage a threaded fitting of an adjacent component. The first member may have a shank and a flange that has a greater exterior dimension than the shank. The flange may have a first locking extension. The second member may have a bore that receives the shank such that the second member is slidable along the base member between a locked configuration in which rotation of the second member about the centerline induces rotation of the base member about the centerline, and an unlocked configuration, in which the second member is rotatable about the centerline independently of rotation of the base member. The second member may further have a first recess that receives the first locking extension in the locked configuration.