Pipe Nut Drive Arrangement for Tight Access Fluid Ports
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in fluid management systems, particularly in vehicles, is the lack of space for tightening tools when installing pipes in confined areas, such as under valve covers or rocker covers, where traditional tools cannot access the pipe connection points due to limited sideways access.
Innovation Solution
A pipe connection arrangement featuring a pipe nut with a toothed outer profile and an elongated drive member that engages with a supplementary guide member, allowing for rotation and clamping or unclamping of the pipe to a fluid port, enabling secure and space-efficient installation using standard tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional pipe connection methods are used in confined spaces, then the connection can be securely made, but the tightening tool cannot access the pipe connection point due to limited sideways access
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe connection arrangement enables tightening access from the longitudinal direction (along the pipe axis) rather than requiring sideways access. The elongated drive member engages with the pipe nut through the pipe's longitudinal axis, allowing the tool to approach from a different dimensional direction that is accessible in confined spaces where lateral access is blocked.
Solution Approach 2:
The supplementary guide member acts as an intermediary component that facilitates the engagement between the elongated drive member and the pipe nut. The guide member is fixedly arranged adjacent to the connection point and provides a pathway or guide for the drive member to reach and engage with the pipe nut, enabling tool access through intermediate structuring in the confined space.
2Ease of operation
If the pipe connection arrangement uses a supplementary guide member and elongated drive member, then tool accessibility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The supplementary guide member serves multiple functions: it guides the elongated drive member into proper engagement with the pipe nut, provides structural support in the confined space, and enables the longitudinal access approach. By making this component multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for additional separate elements, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while still achieving improved tool accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe connection arrangement for a fluid management system includes a pipe nut for releasably connecting an end portion of a pipe to a fluid port of the fluid management system. The pipe nut has a first portion having a toothed outer profile and a second portion configured to engage with a connection point portion of said fluid management system. An elongated drive member having a first end portion with a toothed outer profile is configured to cooperate with the toothed outer profile of the pipe nut, the first end portion further being configured to concentrically engage with a supplementary guide member adapted to be fixedly arranged adjacent the connection point portion of said fluid management system. When the elongated drive member is in engagement with the supplementary guide member, and the second portion of the pipe nut is in engagement with the connection point portion, the toothed outer profile and the toothed outer profile of the pipe nut are permitted to mesh together such that a rotation of said elongated drive member causes a corresponding rotation of the pipe nut for clamping the end portion to the fluid port or unclamping the end portion from the fluid port.