Pipe Sleeve Stop Sections for Wedged Pipe Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pipe sockets jam easily when a pipe is pushed in, making it difficult to release the pipe without significant effort, and they often lead to fluid leakage due to inadequate sealing.

Innovation Solution

A pipe sleeve with a sectionally spherical outer contour and a pipe socket featuring stop sections that protrude from the inner wall at an angle of 10 to 20°, providing a large flow transition area and easy access for releasing wedged pipes, combined with seal-receiving chambers for enhanced sealing and a swellable sealing element for backup sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a pipe is pushed into a conventional pipe socket, then the pipe is secured in the socket, but the pipe socket spreads due to wedging action and jams in the female pipe coupling device, making it difficult to release

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecuring forceVSAvoidrelease difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe stop is divided into multiple stop sections (at least two) that protrude from the inner wall of the pipe socket at specific angles (10-20°). This segmentation allows the stop sections to distribute the wedging force and create gaps between them, enabling tool access for releasing the pipe without requiring significant force to overcome a single large stop.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stop sections act as intermediaries between the pipe and the pipe socket wall, providing controlled contact points that allow for both secure mounting and controlled release. The angular configuration of the stop sections creates leverage points that facilitate release while maintaining securing strength during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If the pipe socket is designed with a compact structure, then the coupling is space-efficient, but the flow transition area is reduced and pipe release becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoupling sizeVSAvoidflow rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe socket features a sectionally spherical outer contour that couples with a female pipe coupling device having a partially spherical inner contour. This spherical geometry provides smooth flow transitions that maximize fluid flow capacity while maintaining a compact overall coupling size. The curved surfaces guide fluid efficiently from the pipe into the coupling device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Volume of moving object

If the pipe socket is designed with a compact structure, then the coupling is space-efficient, but the pipe release becomes difficult without significant effort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoupling sizeVSAvoidpipe release ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe stop is divided into multiple stop sections (at least two) that protrude from the inner wall of the pipe socket at specific angles (10-20°). This segmentation allows the stop sections to distribute the wedging force and create gaps between them, enabling tool access for releasing the pipe without requiring significant force to overcome a single large stop.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stop sections are positioned at angular offsets (10-20°) from the pipe axis, creating a three-dimensional arrangement that provides both structural support and release access. This angular positioning in multiple dimensions allows the compact socket to maintain securing strength while providing gaps for release tools.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2286132B1Pipe sleeve and ball joint coupling for connecting pipes
Publication Date: 2015.01.28 REHAU AG & CO
  • EP2286132B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(d)
  • EP2286132B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(e)
  • EP2286132B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(f)

AI summary

The invention relates to a pipe sleeve (30) for a ball joint coupling (10), comprising: an outer contour that is spherical at least in sections, and a pipe receptacle (32) delimited at the end by a pipe stop (33); wherein the pipe sleeve (30) can be coupled to a female pipe coupling device (20), said device having an inner contour that is spherical in sections, for coupling a pipe that can be received in the pipe receptacle (32) to the female pipe coupling device (20) in a hinged fashion. In order to be able to more easily detach a pipe wedged in the pipe sleeve (30), it is provided according to the invention that the pipe stop (33) be made up of at least two stop sections (34), which radially protrude from an inner wall (35) of the pipe sleeve (30). This allows access to an end side of the pipe between the stop sections (34) and the wedging can be easily detached.