Hydraulic Line Connector With Open-Side Thread for Compact Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-connector devices for hydraulic lines, especially those designed for vehicles, face challenges with increased dimensions and difficulty in mounting and removing connectors due to protruding fastening elements and limited accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring particular threads around the connector and its seat in the multi-connector device, allowing for easy mounting and removal without protruding fastening elements, and a specialized tool using movable spheres to transmit torque for unscrewing or screwing the connector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fastening elements are used to secure connectors in the multi-connector device, then the connector is reliably fixed in its seat, but the overall dimensions of the device increase and accessibility to connectors is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes protruding fastening elements from the connector assembly. Instead, fastening elements are integrated into the seat structure itself, extracting the protruding component and redistributing its function to the stationary seat, thereby reducing overall device volume while maintaining fixation reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is nested within the seat structure with fastening elements integrated into the seat rather than protruding from the connector. This nesting approach allows the fastening mechanism to be contained within the seat's internal geometry, reducing external dimensions while maintaining secure fixation
2Reliability
If fastening elements protrude from the multi-connector device to secure connectors, then connectors can be reliably fixed, but mounting and removal operations become more difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By removing protruding fastening elements and integrating them into the seat structure, the patent simplifies the operational interface. Connectors can be mounted and removed by simple insertion and extraction motions without requiring manipulation of protruding fastening mechanisms, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining reliable fixation through the integrated seat design
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated fastening elements in the seat automatically engage with the connector upon insertion and lock it in place without requiring separate fastening actions. Similarly, removal is facilitated by the same integrated structure, allowing the connector to be extracted without manual intervention on fastening elements, thus enabling self-service mounting and removal operations
3Reliability
If the side opposite the coupling side is provided with hydraulic and electrical lines, then the connector can be secured from both sides, but accessibility to connectors for mounting and removal is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fastening function from the connector and relocates it to the seat structure. This allows connectors to be accessed and operated from the coupling side only, eliminating the need for accessibility from the opposite side where hydraulic and electrical lines are located, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining securing reliability through the integrated seat fastening elements
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 enables quick and efficient mounting and removal of connectors, maintaining a compact device design and improving accessibility by avoiding alterations to the flat coupling surface.
Implementation Method 1
The tool exploits the movable spheres of the connector to be coupled with it and thus transmit the torque necessary to unscrew or screw the connector
Data Source
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AI summary
Connector (3) comprising at least one tubular body (31) provided with at least one mouth (38) suitable to be coupled with a complementary connector (13, 80), wherein the tubular body (31) is also provided with a series of radial openings (32) which partially house a plurality of spheres (33) arranged along a circumference of the tubular body (31), wherein the spheres (33) cooperate with connection means (34, 35) to move in a radial direction of the tubular body (31) between an extended position, in which they protrude towards the outside of the tubular body (31), and a retracted position, in which they protrude towards the inside of the tubular body (31), wherein a thread (31a) is formed around the tubular body (31) or around an element integral with the tubular body (31), wherein the thread (31a) is open from the side opposite the mouth (38) of the connector (3), so that the connector (3) can be screwed into a corresponding threaded seat in a direction (D) facing the side opposite the mouth (38). The present description also relates to a multi-connector device for this connector and a tool which serves to mount and/or remove the connector in this multi-connector device.