Pivotable Hose Connector for Leak-Safe Hydraulic Hose Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing hydraulic systems in vehicles, particularly those used for convertible tops, face challenges in replacing hydraulic hoses and actuators due to their permanent attachment, which requires extensive disassembly and can lead to leaks and damage during splicing, making the process time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A pivotable hose connector system comprising a connector housing, attachment assembly, and clamping nut, which allows for the easy attachment and detachment of hoses from hydraulic cylinders, featuring a crimp sleeve, hose insertion member, tubular coupling assembly, and seal members to ensure sealed and rotative engagement, facilitating the replacement of hoses without disassembling the entire system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic hoses are permanently attached to actuators, then system reliability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic hose assembly is divided into separate segments: the actuator with integrated fittings and the hose itself. This segmentation allows the hose to be independently replaced without replacing the entire actuator assembly, thereby improving ease of repair while maintaining system reliability through proper connection design.
Solution Approach 2:
A quick-connect coupling mechanism serves as an intermediary between the hose and actuator. This intermediary component enables rapid connection and disconnection without requiring system disassembly, resolving the contradiction by providing both secure attachment for reliability and easy detachment for repairability.
2Reliability
If hydraulic hoses are permanently attached to actuators, then system integrity is improved, but loss of time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is pre-equipped with integrated hose fittings and connection mechanisms during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex field assembly or disassembly operations, allowing rapid hose replacement while maintaining pre-engineered system integrity, thus reducing repair time without compromising reliability.
3Ease of repair
If splicing is used to replace hydraulic cylinders, then ease of repair is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a disposable or easily replaceable hose component with integrated quick-connect fittings. Rather than attempting complex splicing operations that compromise reliability, the design allows the entire hose assembly to be quickly replaced as a single unit, maintaining both ease of repair and system reliability through standardized connection interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A pivotable hose connector having a connector, an attachment assembly and a clamping nut. The connector housing has a crimp sleeve portion having a threaded outer surface and a lower housing cavity. The attachment assembly has a hose insertion member and a tubular coupling assembly. The hose insertion member has a hose barb and a central bore, and is positioned within the connector housing so that the crimp sleeve portion surrounds the hose barb. The body end is positioned within the lower housing cavity. The tubular coupling assembly is in rotative sealed engagement relative to each of the connector housing and the hose insertion member, and includes a tubular extension having an internal bore portion in fluid communication with the central bore. The clamping nut is threadedly engageable with the outer surface, and includes a bore extending therethrough that corresponds to the central bore.