Plastic Retainer Ring Gasket for Corrosion-Free Pipe Belling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing gaskets for thermoplastic pipes, such as the Rieber system, face issues with metal corrosion, high costs, and limitations in material compatibility, as well as difficulties in field installation and recycling due to bonded metal components and complex manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A two-component sealing gasket with a flexible elastomeric and a rigid plastic component, molded separately and assembled without bonding, which acts as a belling ramp and ensures stability during installation, allowing for recyclability and material substitution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metal reinforcing ring is used in the sealing gasket, then the structural strength and rigidity are improved, but corrosion resistance deteriorates and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the reinforcing ring from metal to plastic, transforming it from a corrosion-prone material to a corrosion-resistant material while maintaining the necessary structural strength for the sealing gasket application
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure by combining the elastomeric sealing material with a plastic reinforcing ring, integrating two different materials to achieve both flexibility for sealing and rigidity for structural support without the corrosion issues of metal
2Strength
If a metal reinforcing ring is used in the sealing gasket, then the structural strength is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, which simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating complex bonding operations and allowing for more straightforward production methods while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic reinforcing ring provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive metal components, reducing material costs and manufacturing complexity while achieving the necessary functional performance for the sealing application
3Stability of the object's composition
If a bonded metal component is used in the sealing gasket, then the structural integrity is improved, but recyclability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite of elastomeric material and plastic reinforcing ring that can be separated more easily than bonded metal components, enabling recycling and material recovery while maintaining structural integrity during use
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic reinforcing ring design facilitates the recovery and recycling of materials at the end of the product lifecycle, allowing the components to be separated and reused or recycled more easily compared to bonded metal constructions
4Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid plastic component is added to the sealing gasket, then the stability during installation is improved, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the elastomeric sealing component and the plastic reinforcing ring into a single integrated sealing gasket assembly, where the plastic ring is embedded within or attached to the elastomeric material, providing stability during installation while maintaining a unified component structure
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 solution reduces manufacturing costs, simplifies the belling process, enhances stability during field installation, and allows for recyclability without the need for metal retainers, while maintaining effective sealing performance.
Implementation Method 1
the elastomeric component is stretched over at least a portion of the plastic component
Implementation Method 2
heating a socket end of the female thermoplastic pipe; forcing the heated socket end of the female thermoplastic pipe over the working surface of the mandrel and over the sealing gasket
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe belling process where a heated thermoplastic pipe end is forced over a sealing gasket on a forming mandrel, with the pipe being subsequently cooled to retain the gasket in an internal groove simultaneously formed in the pipe end. The sealing gasket is a two-component gasket with an elastic component and a plastic component. The elastic component is stretched over a portion of the plastic component during assembly with the plastic component acting as a belling ramp for the gasket during the subsequent pipe belling operation.