Pipe Fitting Arrangement with Asymmetric Grip Ring Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe fitting arrangements fail to ensure electric continuity between the pipe and housing and inhibit relative rotation between the pipe and housing effectively, leading to installation challenges and potential loss of seal during pipe insertion.
Innovation Solution
A metallic grip ring with internal teeth engaging the pipe and external teeth engaging the housing, where the internal teeth are bent towards the pipe insertion direction and external teeth are bent away, ensuring electric continuity and preventing rotation, while avoiding distortion by encapsulating the grip ring within the housing through punching, rather than complex rolling procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a three wheel rolling head is used to roll the front edge of the housing to ensure accuracy, then the deformation accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gripping function from a complex rolling head device and transfers it to a simple punched grip ring with teeth that engage with the housing. This eliminates the need for complex three-wheel rolling equipment while maintaining deformation accuracy through the engagement mechanism of the punched teeth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing method from mechanical rolling (requiring complex equipment) to punching (simple equipment). The punched grip ring achieves the necessary deformation and engagement through the punching process, which creates teeth that can be bent to engage with the housing, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining precision.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the grip ring is locked firmly in position with no room for flexure, then the position stability is improved, but the pipe insertion capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic grip ring where the punched teeth can bend and flex during pipe insertion to accommodate the pipe, then lock firmly after insertion to provide stability. The teeth are designed to engage with the housing in a way that allows initial flexibility for insertion but provides firm locking afterward, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The punched grip ring structure inherently provides cushioning flexibility before pipe insertion, allowing the teeth to bend and accommodate the pipe. After insertion, the same structure provides firm locking. This beforehand flexibility-cum-locking mechanism resolves the contradiction between position stability and pipe insertion ease.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the internal teeth are bent towards the pipe insertion direction and external teeth away, then the rotation prevention is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-bending the punched teeth in opposite directions (internal teeth towards pipe insertion, external teeth away) during the punching process. This preliminary configuration enables automatic rotation prevention when the grip ring engages with the housing and pipe, eliminating the need for additional complex mechanisms while achieving the rotation prevention function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by bending internal and external teeth in opposite directions. This asymmetric configuration creates a mechanical interlock that prevents rotation: the internal teeth engage with the pipe in one direction while external teeth engage with the housing in the opposite direction, providing bidirectional rotation prevention through simple punched geometry rather than complex mechanisms.
4Ease of manufacture
If a metallic grip ring with punched teeth is used instead of rolling, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the risk of losing electric continuity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a homogeneous metallic material for the grip ring that ensures electric continuity throughout the structure. The punched teeth are formed from the same conductive metal as the grip ring body, guaranteeing electrical connectivity between the pipe, grip ring, and housing without introducing non-conductive materials or complex connections that could break the electrical path.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention refers to a pipe fitting arrangement comprising a pipe (50, 50'), a housing (1, 1', 1", 1"', 1'v) defining at one end an opening (9) for insertion of an end of the pipe (50, 50'), a metallic grip ring (12, 12') and a sealing ring (10, 10') downstream the grip ring (12, 12') in the insertion direction of the pipe (50, 50'), the location of both the grip ring (12, 12') as well as the sealing ring (10, 10') between the housing (1, 1', 1", 1"', 1'v) and the pipe (50, 50') being defined by the housing (1, 1', 1", 1"', 1'v), characterized in that the grip ring (12, 12') is provided with a first amount of first internal teeth (14, 14') directed toward the pipe (50, 50') in a first direction with a first inclination in the pipe insertion direction for engagement with the pipe (50, 50') and with a second amount of second external teeth (13) directed towards the housing (1, 1', 1", 1"', 1'v) in a second direction with a second inclination away from the pipe insertion direction for engagement with the housing (1, 1', 1", 1"', 1'v); and a method for forming such a pipe fitting arrangement.