Pipe Fitting Draw Mechanism for Dynamic Seal Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe fittings lack cost efficiency, strength, and usability, as they often require improvements in sealing mechanisms and compatibility with various pipe sizes and materials.
Innovation Solution
The pipe fitting design incorporates a hollow main body with a flange and seal assembly, featuring an actuation mechanism that draws the seal radially inward, utilizing a segmented lip and gasket with a unique cross-sectional shape to ensure effective sealing and compatibility with a range of pipe sizes, and includes a bolt assembly for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing pipe fittings use traditional sealing mechanisms, then the structure is simple, but the sealing efficiency and reliability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and radial dimension in response to actuation forces. The seal can move axially along the pipe fitting and change its radial thickness to optimize sealing contact with the pipe surface, transforming a static sealing structure into a dynamic adaptive system that maintains reliable sealing under varying conditions
Solution Approach 2:
An actuation mechanism serves as an intermediary component between the operator and the seal assembly. This intermediary translates rotational motion of an actuating element into axial and radial movement of the seal, enabling precise control over seal positioning and deformation without requiring direct manual manipulation of the seal itself
2Adaptability or versatility
If pipe fittings are designed for specific pipe sizes, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to various pipe sizes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly is designed with universal adaptability to work with pipes of different sizes through its ability to move axially and radially. The same seal assembly can accommodate various pipe diameters by adjusting its position along the pipe fitting and modifying its radial dimension, eliminating the need for multiple specialized seals for different pipe sizes while maintaining precise sealing contact
Solution Approach 2:
The seal assembly's effective sealing parameters (position and radial dimension) are made changeable through actuation. By varying the axial position and radial thickness of the seal in response to different pipe sizes, the system maintains optimal sealing pressure and contact without requiring custom-designed seals for each pipe dimension
3Strength
If traditional attachment methods are used, then the installation is simple, but the structural integrity and strength are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element utilizes a cam surface with a curved profile that converts simple rotational motion into complex axial and radial movements of the seal assembly. This curved mechanical advantage surface enables strong attachment forces to be generated through straightforward rotational input, maintaining ease of operation while achieving high structural integrity
Data Source
AI summary
A fitting includes a hollow main body including a flange that extends radially outward with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the hollow main body and that extends circumferentially 360 degrees around the central longitudinal axis of the hollow main body, a gasket having a cross-sectional shape comprising a pentagon, the gasket positioned on an interior surface of the hollow main body, an end ring coupled to an exterior surface of the hollow main body, the end ring including a flange that extends longitudinally with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the hollow main body, wherein the exterior surface extends at an oblique angle with respect to the interior surface, and a plurality of hooks cach coupled to the gasket and to the end ring such that rotation of the end ring with respect to the hollow main body about the central longitudinal axis of the hollow main body draws the gasket axially with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the hollow main body and radially inward with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the hollow main body, thereby forcing the gasket into a scaling configuration.