Pipe Sealing Cap Structure for Mold Ejection and Placement Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing caps for pipes face challenges during manufacturing, such as difficulty in automatic ejection from molds due to geometric configuration, and lack of rigidity, which can lead to deformation and require operator assistance for placement.
Innovation Solution
A sealing element with a central stem section, circular head, inverted frustoconical centring region, flexible flaps, and perpendicular extensions that facilitate automatic ejection from molds and improve rigidity through a cross-shaped cross-section with decreasing configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cap has a geometric configuration with a stem and outer flanges, then it can effectively close and protect pipe ends, but it presents problems during manufacturing ejection from molds requiring operator assistance
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is divided into functional zones: a stem section for insertion, an outer contour section for sealing, and ejection extensions that protrude from the stem. These extensions act as dedicated contact points for mold ejectors, separating the ejection function from the protective function. The extensions are positioned to engage with ejector pins while the main body maintains its sealing geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejection extensions serve as intermediary elements between the mold ejector system and the cap body. These extensions protrude from the stem section and provide specific contact points for ejector pins, mediating the force transfer during ejection without compromising the cap's protective function. The extensions act as a interface that enables automated removal while preserving the integrity of the sealing structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the cap has a rigid structure, then it provides stability, but it can deform in the stem area during placement requiring careful operator handling
Solution Approach 1:
The cap employs local quality variations through its cross-shaped cross-section that decreases in size from the base toward the tip. The stem section has a larger cross-sectional area providing rigidity and stability during handling and placement. As the stem tapers toward the tip, the cross-section reduces to facilitate insertion into the pipe end. This gradient in cross-sectional dimensions optimizes both structural stability and ease of placement.
3Ease of operation
If the distance between the stem wall and outer flanges is increased, then it facilitates manual removal from mold, but it requires operator assistance and reduces automation
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves from modifying the radial distance between stem and flanges to adding a new dimensional feature: extensions protruding from the stem in the axial direction. These extensions create new contact points for ejector pins along the length of the stem, enabling automated ejection through a different geometric approach. The extensions are positioned to engage with ejector pins while maintaining the functional integrity of the cap structure.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a sealing element for pipes, comprising a body of injection-mouldable plastic material, being made up of a central stem section that has at one end a circular head region acting as a grip area, including on a stem section in a downward direction from said head region, a first centring region with a general inverted frustoconical shape, a second circumferential outer contour region that is defined by at least two flexible flaps formed from a pair of diametrically opposed grooves and a third circumferential outer contour positioning region, the second region having a larger diameter than the first and third regions. Said sealing element includes at least two spaced extensions, which protrude in one same direction perpendicular to the central stem section, which have a length equal to or less than the diameter of the third positioning region.