Pipe End Fitting Assembly With Outer-Body Vent Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipe end fittings are costly and time-consuming to machine from a single piece of stock, and the vent ports formed in the jacket can be deformed during assembly, leading to leaks.
Innovation Solution
A pipe end fitting assembly comprising two separate components, an outer body and an inner body, where the inner body is secured to the outer body with an interference fit, and a vent passage is formed through the outer body to provide reliable venting, reducing material waste and simplifying machining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the end fitting is machined from a single piece of stock material, then the structural integrity and sealing reliability are improved, but the manufacturing cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The end fitting is divided into two separate components: an outer body and an inner body. The outer body contains the vent passage and provides structural support, while the inner body contains the bore and is secured to the outer body. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using simpler, more efficient processes, reducing overall manufacturing time and cost while maintaining the functional integrity of the complete assembly.
2Ease of operation
If the vent port is formed in the jacket, then the venting function is provided, but the vent port can be deformed during the swage process causing leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The vent passage is extracted from the jacket and relocated to the outer body. By forming the vent passage in the outer body rather than the jacket, the venting function is preserved while eliminating the deformation issue that occurs when vent ports are formed in the jacket during the swage process. The outer body provides a stable, deformation-resistant structure for the vent passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent passage is formed in the outer body before the jacket is swaged onto the inner body. This preliminary formation of the vent passage ensures that it is not subjected to the deformative swage process, thereby maintaining its integrity and preventing leakage while still providing the necessary venting function.
3Device complexity
If the end fitting is made as a single piece, then the assembly simplicity is maintained, but the material waste and machining complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The end fitting is segmented into an outer body and an inner body that can be manufactured separately using more efficient processes with less material waste. The two components are then assembled together, maintaining assembly simplicity while significantly reducing the material waste and machining complexity associated with manufacturing a single-piece end fitting.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe end fitting assembly that includes an outer body having an outer surface, an inner surface defining first bore, and an end surface, and an inner body having an inner surface defining a second bore and an outer surface. A portion of the inner body outer surface is secured to the outer body inner surface. A passage formed in the outer body includes a first portion extending from the end surface and parallel to the first bore, and a second portion extending from the outer body outer surface to the passage first portion. A pipe end is disposed around and secured to a portion of the inner body outer surface. A jacket is disposed around the pipe and has an end secured to the outer body outer surface. The passage portions are fluid communication with each other and a space between the jacket and the pipe.