Pipe Clamp Grip Teeth for Sealing Across Soft and Hard Pipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe clamps and couplings face challenges in providing a reliable seal for a wide variety of pipe materials, as some seals are suitable for soft materials but not hard materials, and vice versa.
Innovation Solution
The grip elements feature rows of elongate teeth with a unique cross-sectional shape, including straight sides, a radius junction, and a triangular shape with a sharp or rounded apex, allowing them to effectively grip both soft and hard materials, and can be made from materials like elastomers or metals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional seal designs are used, then they work well for soft pipe materials, but they fail to provide reliable sealing for hard pipe materials
Solution Approach 1:
The grip element features a composite tooth structure with a hard apex portion for biting into hard materials and a softer base portion for conforming to pipe surfaces. This local differentiation of material properties within the same component enables effective gripping of both soft and hard pipe materials without requiring separate seal designs for each material type.
Solution Approach 2:
The tooth structure combines materials of different hardness levels - a hard apex (such as carbide or hardened steel) for penetrating hard pipe surfaces, and a softer base material (such as elastomer or ductile metal) for conforming to the pipe outer surface. This composite construction allows the single grip element to adapt to various pipe materials.
2Strength
If grip elements with aggressive teeth are used to grip hard materials, then they can bite into hard surfaces, but they may damage soft pipe materials
Solution Approach 1:
The tooth structure concentrates hardness at the apex for biting into hard materials, while the base portion remains softer to conform to and protect soft pipe surfaces. This localized differentiation allows the same tooth to grip hard pipes without damaging soft pipes.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip element design allows the softer base material to deform and conform to the pipe surface, while the hard apex maintains its shape for penetrating hard materials. This dynamic response to different pipe materials prevents damage to soft pipes while maintaining gripping strength on hard pipes.
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
These grip elements provide a tenacious hold on pipes of various materials through increased friction, ensuring a reliable seal and compatibility with different pipe materials.
Implementation Method 1
These grip elements provide a tenacious hold on pipes of various materials through increased friction
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
An accessory for a clamp assembly includes a grip element (10) which has a base portion (12) including two opposite end faces (16), rows of teeth (14) that protrude from the base portion (12), the teeth (14) being arranged in rows with gaps (22) separating them, wherein each of the teeth (14) has a shape as viewed from one of the end faces (16) which includes a first shape portion (18) which has straight sides (20) each of which extends from the base portion (12) to an end (21), wherein a junction of each of the straight sides (20) with the base portion (12) has a radius (R), wherein the straight sides (20) form borders of the gaps (22). Each of the teeth (14) includes another shape portion that extends inwards, away from the gaps (22). The ends (21) of the straight sides (20) of the first shape portion (18) and the other shape portion cooperate to grip a pipe.