Pivoting Retainer Fluid Connector for Easy Pipe Disassembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for fluid-conveying elements, such as motor vehicle pipes, face difficulties in easy assembly and disassembly, often resulting in connection errors and the risk of losing the retainer, and may not provide a reliable and tight connection between the male and female plug-in parts.
Innovation Solution
A quick connector design featuring a retainer that is U-shaped with resilient U-legs, allowing pivoting about a pivot axis on the female plug-in part, which engages in a pivot recess to be held captive, facilitating easy transfer between open and fixing positions, and incorporating sealing and locking elements for secure connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the male plug-in part is designed to be firmly fixed to the female plug-in part, then connection reliability is improved, but assembly and disassembly become difficult requiring considerable force
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is designed as a resilient component that can dynamically change its state between engaged and disengaged positions. By applying force to the retainer, it pivots about a pivot axis to disengage from the male plug-in part, allowing easy disassembly. The resilience of the retainer enables it to automatically return to its engaged state, ensuring reliable connection without requiring excessive assembly force.
2Ease of operation
If the retainer is completely separated from the connector when transferred to the open position, then ease of disassembly is improved, but the risk of losing the retainer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is designed with a pivot axis that is integrated into the female plug-in part, creating a nested relationship where the retainer rotates about an axis within the connector body. This ensures the retainer remains captive to the connector even when disengaged from the male plug-in part, eliminating the risk of loss while maintaining ease of operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the connector design is simplified, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but connection tightness and reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is designed as a resilient component with elastic properties, allowing it to deform and pivot about a pivot axis. This flexible design enables the retainer to maintain constant contact pressure against the male plug-in part, ensuring tight connection. The simplicity of the resilient retainer structure keeps manufacturing costs low while the elastic deformation capability ensures reliable sealing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The connector allows for simple, reliable, and secure transfer of the retainer between positions, preventing loss and ensuring a tight, precise connection with reduced insertion forces, while being cost-effective and easy to handle.
Implementation Method 1
the two U-legs are resiliently connected to the U-bracket
Implementation Method 2
the pivot extension (13) connected to the first U-leg (10) engages in a pivot recess (12) of the female plug-in part (4)
Data Source
AI summary
A connector for connection between two fluid-conveying elements, in particular for connection between two motor vehicle pipes, with a female plug-in part and a male plug-in part which is insertable into the female plug-in part. A retainer is connected to the female plug-in part, the retainer allowing the male plug-in part to be fixed, in the inserted state, to the female plug-in part. The retainer may be pivoted from an open position to a fixing position—and vice versa—about a pivot axis arranged in the region of the outer surface of the female plug-in part.