Pipe Joint Fluid Passage Design for Reduced Pressure Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipe joints with attachment/detachment mechanisms suffer from high fluid passage resistance and pressure loss due to complex flow passage designs and enlarged size, which also restrict the size of check valves that can be assembled.
Innovation Solution
A pipe joint design featuring a tubular socket and plug with a simplified flow passage structure, utilizing balls and a sleeve spring mechanism to maintain airtight connections while allowing for compact size and efficient fluid flow, and enabling the use of variously sized check valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex flow passage structure is used to guide fluid radially outwardly and divide into multiple passages, then the socket and plug can be detached while maintaining seal, but fluid passage resistance becomes large and pressure loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The flow passage is divided into multiple independent channels (first flow passage and second flow passage) that run parallel through the plug and socket bodies. This segmentation allows fluid to flow through multiple paths simultaneously, reducing resistance and pressure loss while maintaining the sealing function during detachment through the check valves.
2Ease of operation
If a spring is placed on the inner circumferential side of a sleeve to enable attachment/detachment, then the socket and plug can be detached, but the outer circumferential diameter of the sleeve is enlarged and the pipe joint increases in size
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is repositioned from the radial dimension (inner circumferential side of sleeve) to the axial dimension (between the plug body and socket body). This dimensional change allows the spring to exert its force along the connection axis without increasing the radial size of the pipe joint, enabling attachment and detachment while maintaining a compact overall dimensions.
3Ease of manufacture
If check valves are inserted from the connection ends of socket and plug, then the attachment/detachment mechanism can be assembled, but the size of check valves is limited by the opening diameters of connection ends
Solution Approach 1:
The check valves are pre-installed within the plug body and socket body during manufacturing, before the final assembly. This preliminary action allows the use of larger check valves that would not fit through the connection end openings, while still enabling the attachment and detachment functionality through the spring mechanism positioned at the connection interface.
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 reduces fluid passage resistance and pressure loss, allows for stable valve operation, and enables a more compact size compared to conventional pipe joints, while accommodating check valves of desired sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a spring applies elastic force to the valve body in a displaced state
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe joint is equipped with a socket and a plug, which are attachable and detachable from each other, wherein a pressure fluid introduced from the plug flows toward the socket through second holes formed in a plug valve. In addition, the pressure fluid flows smoothly along outer circumferential surfaces of the plug valve and a socket valve, and along inner circumferential surfaces of a plug body and a socket body. Further, the pressure fluid flows from the socket body to a back body, through first holes formed in the socket valve.