Pipe Joint Ratchet Mechanism to Prevent Reverse-Torque Loosening
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing pipe joint structure is prone to loosening when high torque is applied in the opposite direction of tightening, leading to potential breakage of engagement ribs and disconnection between the connection port body and flare nut.
Innovation Solution
A pipe joint structure incorporating a union, flare nut, cylindrical sleeve, rotary ring, and pressing member, where the rotary ring engages with the flare nut to transmit torque in the tightening direction while preventing torque transmission in the opposite direction, utilizing a ratchet mechanism to secure the connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high torque is applied in the opposite direction to tightening between the connection port body and the flare nut, then the connection may be disconnected, but the engagement ribs may be broken and the connection may be loosened
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is divided into multiple functional components: the connection port body with engagement ribs, the flare nut with corresponding engagement ribs, and the protective sleeve that houses and protects these engagement features. This segmentation allows the engagement ribs to be protected within the sleeve structure while maintaining their connection function.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective sleeve is designed to beforehand cushion and absorb the impact of high reverse torque before it can reach and damage the engagement ribs. The sleeve acts as a protective barrier that prevents direct transmission of harmful forces to the fragile engagement rib structures.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the connection port body and flare nut are tightly connected using engagement ribs, then disconnection is prevented, but the structure becomes vulnerable to rib breakage under reverse torque
Solution Approach 1:
The protective sleeve serves as an intermediary element between the engagement ribs and the external environment. It mediates the transmission of forces, allowing normal tightening operations while blocking harmful reverse torque from reaching the engagement ribs. The sleeve is the intermediate structure that protects the vulnerable engagement features.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve structure is designed to beforehand cushion and absorb reverse torque forces, preventing them from reaching the engagement ribs. This prior protection mechanism ensures that the connection integrity is maintained without risking rib breakage under abnormal loading conditions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the flare nut is fixed in position, then connection stability is improved, but torque transmission during tightening becomes less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The flare nut is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to rotate freely within the protective sleeve during the tightening process for efficient torque transmission. Once tightening is complete, the engagement ribs and sleeve structure provide positional stability. This dynamic design allows the flare nut to transition from a mobile state during assembly to a stable state during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into the movable flare nut, the protective sleeve, and the engagement rib structures. This segmentation allows the flare nut to have rotational freedom within the sleeve while the sleeve and engagement ribs provide overall positional stability. The division of functions between these components resolves the contradiction between mobility during assembly and stability during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe joint structure includes: a union; a flare nut that includes a female thread formed at one of axially opposite ends of the flare nut, and a first annular surface formed at the other of the axially opposite ends of the flare nut; a cylindrical sleeve that houses the flare nut such that the flare nut can be rotate and moved forward and backward; a rotary ring that has a second annular surface located to face the first annular surface, and is attached to the sleeve such that the rotary ring can be rotated for the union; and a pressing member that presses the flare nut toward the rotary ring. At the second annular surface, a claw is formed in such a manner as to protrude towards the flare nut. The first annular surface includes an engagement surface that is formed in such a manner to face one side in a circumferential direction and a helically inclined surface that is adjacent to the engagement surface in the circumferential direction and formed helically in such a way as to incline and face the opposite side of the one side in the circumferential direction.