Plumbing Fitting Assembly for Transverse Hole Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Establishing a reliable and easy-to-install liquid-tight connection through a transverse hole in a vessel, especially when access to the interior is limited, is challenging due to the unreliability and complexity of existing unilateral plumbing fittings.
Innovation Solution
A plumbing fitting assembly comprising a clamping member and an anchor member with radially bendable fingers and a locking ring, allowing for unilateral installation and a secure liquid-tight seal, even in flexible structures like plastic bags or roofing membranes, using a tool for threadable advancement and locking engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional plumbing fittings are used for transverse holes, then liquid-tight connection can be achieved, but installation becomes difficult when access to vessel interior is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The plumbing fitting is divided into separate components: a clamping member with external threads and an anchor member with internal threads formed in the vessel wall. This segmentation allows the anchor to be installed first in the constrained space, followed by the clamping member from the accessible side, simplifying the installation process when interior access is limited
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional approach of installing the fitting from the interior is inverted. Instead, the anchor member is installed from the interior (or pre-installed in the wall), and the clamping member is threaded onto it from the exterior accessible side. This reversal of installation sequence enables easy installation even when vessel interior access is restricted
2Ease of operation
If simple anchoring mechanisms are used, then installation is easier, but connection reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping member features a curved or arc-shaped clamping surface that conforms to the cylindrical vessel wall. This curvature distributes the clamping force evenly around the anchor, creating a reliable liquid-tight connection while maintaining simple installation through external threading
Solution Approach 2:
The fitting system combines different materials and mechanisms: threaded metal components for structural integrity, sealing elements (such as gaskets or O-rings) for liquid-tightness, and the anchor-clamp composite structure for both ease of installation and connection reliability
3Strength
If rigid fitting structures are used, then connection strength is improved, but adaptability to flexible structures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping member is designed with a structure that can accommodate flexible vessel walls. The clamping surface and sealing elements are configured to work with flexible materials such as plastic bags or roofing membranes, maintaining connection strength while adapting to the flexibility of the vessel structure
Solution Approach 2:
The fitting system incorporates dynamic elements that allow adaptation to vessel wall movement and flexibility. The clamping mechanism can flex or adjust with the vessel wall while maintaining secure attachment, enabling use with both rigid and flexible structures
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
Enables reliable, easy-to-install liquid-tight connections through transverse holes in various structures, including flexible panels, with minimal tools and complexity, ensuring no liquid skin formation and efficient liquid flow.
Implementation Method 1
At least a segment of the distal end portion is resiliently bendable in a radial direction
Implementation Method 2
The outer surface includes a locking ring locking formation sized and arranged for complementary interlocking engagement with the locking formation of the anchor member
Implementation Method 3
The distal end portion of the clamping member has an end surface configured for receiving a seal that extends circumferentially about the first port for sealingly engaging a proximal side of the structure
Data Source
AI summary
A plumbing fitting assembly includes an anchor member for being received in a transverse hole in a structure. One end of the anchor member is externally threaded and the other includes a catch portion for engaging a surface of the structure adjacent the hole. The threaded end is threaded into a clamping member configured to form a seal with the opposite surface of the structure or another liquid conveying structure. The anchor member can include a tool formation for mating with a rotating structure of a tool. The assembly can include a lock ring for being lockingly received in an interior passage to prevent the catch portion from deflecting inwardly when installed. The plumbing fitting assembly can also be configured for forming a plumbing fitting at a transverse hole in a flexible, liquid-impermeable panel.