Pipe Joint Visual Confirmation Ring Elastic Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe joints face difficulties in visually confirming the connection state of tubes, leading to potential incomplete connections and fluid leakage due to high frictional resistance at the contact region between the tapered surface and peripheral flange.
Innovation Solution
A pipe joint design featuring a visual confirmation ring that is elastically deformable and exposed externally when the tube is tightened, allowing for easy verification of the connection state and preventing leakage by being gripped between the tightening member and the body, facilitating reliable tube connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a tapered surface is used between the ring member and peripheral flange to enable visual confirmation, then the connection state can be confirmed externally, but frictional resistance increases and may prevent complete tightening
Solution Approach 1:
The ring member is designed as an elastic component that can be compressed between the tightening member and body. This flexible structure allows the ring member to deform elastically under compression, enabling the outer edge to expand in diameter and project outward for visual confirmation without creating a rigid tapered surface that would generate high frictional resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring member's physical state changes from a relaxed state (where it fits within the peripheral flange) to a compressed state (where it projects outward). This parameter change in position and shape provides visual feedback about the tightening state without requiring a tapered surface geometry that would increase friction.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the ring member is compressed to project outward for visual confirmation, then connection state is visible, but the compression force may interfere with complete tightening
Solution Approach 1:
The ring member is designed to provide visual confirmation at a stage before complete tightening is achieved. The elastic deformation and projection of the ring member occurs during the tightening process, providing partial visual feedback without requiring the full tightening force to be applied, thus avoiding interference with the complete tightening operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring member acts as an intermediary element between the tightening member and body. It transmits a portion of the compression force to provide visual feedback while allowing the remaining force to continue the tightening operation without significant interference.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the ring member projects outside the peripheral flange, then connection can be visually confirmed, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The ring member serves multiple functions: it acts as a sealing element, a visual indicator, and a compression element. By integrating these functions into a single component, the design avoids adding separate indicator mechanisms, thereby reducing overall structural complexity while achieving external visual confirmation.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual confirmation function is merged with the sealing and tightening functions in the ring member. The same elastic component that provides the seal and transmits compression also provides the visual indicator by projecting outward, eliminating the need for separate indicator structures.
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
Enables easy and reliable visual confirmation of the tube connection, enhancing assembly operations and preventing fluid leakage by ensuring secure connection between the tube and the body.
Implementation Method 1
the visual confirmation ring is elastically deformable, and is deformed so that an outer edge thereof is expanded in diameter by being gripped between the tightening member and the body
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe joint contains a body having a fluid passage in the interior thereof, a tightening cap screw-engaged with an end of the body for connecting a tube thereto, and an indicator ring interposed between a stopper of the body and an end of the tightening cap. The indicator ring is equipped with a flat section and an inclined section, which is inclined with respect to the flat section, and is formed with a smaller diameter than an outer circumferential surface of the tightening cap. When the tightening cap is screw-rotated to thereby connect the tube, as a result of the inclined section being pressed and deformed by movement of the tightening cap, the inclined section projects radially outward with respect to the outer circumferential surface of the tightening cap, whereby a tightened condition is visually confirmed by the outer edge of the indicator ring.