Pipe Fitting Connector With Elastic Locking for Lasting Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe fitting connectors rely on fasteners and rubber or silica gel for sealing, which results in poor long-lasting sealing performance, leading to frequent replacements and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A pipe fitting connector design featuring a first connection member with a sealing member and a locking piece with elastic arms and hooks that generate a pre-tightening force on inner walls of locking through holes, ensuring a long-lasting seal and preventing axial movement and rotation between connection members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rubber or silica gel seals are used with fastener structures, then quick connection and disconnection is achieved, but long-lasting sealing performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function and locking function are segmented into separate components: the sealing member (rubber or silica gel) handles sealing, while the locking piece with elastic arms and hooks handles mechanical retention. This separation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the locking piece providing continuous pre-tightening force to maintain sealing performance over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking piece utilizes elastic deformation of its arms to generate and maintain continuous pre-tightening force on the sealing member. By changing the physical state of the locking piece from rigid to elastic, it can dynamically adjust and maintain optimal sealing pressure throughout the service life, ensuring long-lasting sealing performance.
2Ease of operation
If fastener structures are used for connection, then connection functionality is achieved, but sealing persistence deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking piece incorporates elastic arms that can dynamically deform and recover, providing continuous adaptive pre-tightening force. This dynamic mechanism ensures that the sealing member maintains optimal compression throughout connection cycles, preventing sealing degradation over time while preserving quick connection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic arms of the locking piece are pre-loaded to generate preliminary pre-tightening force on the sealing member before actual use. This preliminary action ensures that the sealing member is already in optimal condition for sealing, extending the duration of effective sealing performance.
3Reliability
If frequent replacement of pipe fitting connectors is required, then sealing performance is maintained, but use cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking piece with elastic arms provides self-adjusting pre-tightening force that automatically compensates for sealing degradation over time. This self-service mechanism extends the service life of the pipe fitting connector, reducing the frequency of replacement and thereby lowering overall use cost while maintaining reliable sealing performance.
4Reliability
If hooks are designed to lock to end faces of locking through holes, then locking reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The locking piece features localized elastic arms with hooks that concentrate locking force at specific points (the end faces of locking through holes). This local quality approach allows the hooks to engage precisely with predetermined locations, improving locking reliability while the elastic deformation accommodates minor manufacturing variations, effectively reducing overall precision requirements.
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 design provides a continuous pre-tightening force for a lasting seal, enhances anti-separation force, and simplifies production by reducing precision requirements for hooking, while preventing the locking piece from falling off.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic arms extend into locking through holes formed in the second connection member to generate a pre-tightening force on inner walls of the locking through holes
Implementation Method 2
the sealing member is located between an outer wall of the first columnar pipe fitting and an inner wall of the second columnar pipe fitting to seal the first columnar pipe fitting to the second columnar pipe fitting
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the technical field of pipe fittings, specifically a pipe fitting connector. The pipe fitting connector includes a first connection member and a second connection member; the first connection member includes a first columnar pipe fitting, and a sealing member arranged on an outer wall of the first connection member; the second connection member includes a second columnar pipe fitting and a locking piece; the first columnar pipe fitting extends into the second columnar pipe fitting; the sealing member is located between an outer wall of the first columnar pipe fitting and an inner wall of the second columnar pipe fitting to seal the first connection member to the second connection member; and the locking piece is used for locking the first connection member to the second connection member. A pre-tightening force generated by deformation of elastic arms of the pipe fitting connector will continuously act on inner walls of locking through holes, so that a long-lasting sealing effect is guaranteed between the first connection member and the second connection member, and the following defect is overcome: It is hard for the traditional connector to constantly keep the sealing performance.