Thermoplastic Collar Sealing with Crosslinked Polyethylene Restoring Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for storing and delivering liquid and/or gaseous media under pressure face challenges in achieving permanent tightness due to creep deformation of thermoplastic materials, requiring additional sealing elements and precise adjustments, which can lead to leaks over time.
Innovation Solution
A device with a medium container made of thermoplastic material, featuring a collar and a restoring element made of cross-linked polyethylene, where the collar and restoring element are designed to create a permanent press fit through elastic deformation, compensating for creep deformation and ensuring sealing without additional sealing elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If O-rings are used to seal between the valve element and collar inner wall, then sealing is achieved in a small circular area, but multiple O-rings are required to increase sealing surface and ensure permanent tightness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from separate O-ring elements and integrates it into the collar structure itself through a sealing groove and sealing lip. The sealing lip is formed as an integral part of the collar, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements while maintaining reliable sealing over the service life of the device
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is merged with the collar structure by forming the sealing groove and sealing lip as integral parts of the collar. This combines the structural support function of the collar with the sealing function, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements and reducing device complexity
2Reliability
If a truncated conical section is used to press the collar inner wall against the valve connecting element, then sealing is achieved, but precise adjustment of tapers is required and thermoplastic material flow leads to loosening over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a thermosetting plastic material for the collar that, once cured, maintains its dimensional stability and does not flow or creep under sustained load. This replaces the thermoplastic material that would continuously flow and loosen the connection, providing permanent tightness without requiring precise taper adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter from thermoplastic to thermosetting plastic, fundamentally altering the material's response to stress and time. The thermosetting material undergoes chemical cross-linking during curing, transforming from a viscoelastic state to a rigid, dimensionally stable state that resists creep and maintains sealing pressure over the device's service life
3Reliability
If O-rings are used to seal the collar inner wall against the medium container, then sealing is achieved, but long-term deformation or creep of O-rings leads to leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from separate O-ring elements and integrates it into the collar structure itself through a sealing groove and sealing lip. The sealing lip is formed as an integral part of the collar, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements that would creep and fail over time
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure where the collar is made of thermosetting plastic material that provides dimensional stability and creep resistance. The sealing groove and sealing lip form an integrated sealing system that maintains its sealing pressure over the entire service life of the device without degrading
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 provides a permanent press fit that maintains sealing integrity over the service life of the device, reducing the need for additional sealing elements and ensuring reliable containment of pressurized media across various pressures and temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic deformation of the restoring element is caused by the joint pressing of the collar and the restoring element, and is greater than the maximum creep deformation of the collar over the service life of the device, so that the creep deformation of the collar can be compensated by the restoring element
Implementation Method 2
their long-term deformation or creep is very likely to lead to leaks
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for the storage and delivery of liquid and/or gaseous media under pressure, having a media container (1) of a plastics material, preferably of polyamide, receiving the medium, at least one valve connection element (2), connected to the media container (1), and at least one valve element (3, 3a, 3b), connectable to the valve connection element (2), wherein the media container (1) has a collar (4), which is molded on in one piece and protrudes from the media container (1) and has a collar outer wall (5) and a collar inner wall (6). A restoring element (11, 11a, 11b) is arranged in such a way that, during the fitting of the valve element (3, 3a), the collar (4) and the restoring element (11, 11a, 11b) are jointly pressed between a partial region (9a) of the wall (9) and the pressing portion (10), wherein the restoring element (11, 11a, 11b) is formed from a crosslinked plastics material, preferably from crosslinked polyethylene, and wherein the pressing portion (10), the collar (4) and the restoring element (11, 11a, 11b) are made to match one another and formed in such a way that the joint pressing of the collar (4) and the restoring element (11, 11a, 11b) has the effect that an elastic deformation (X) of the restoring element (11, 11a, 11b) that is greater than the maximum creep deformation (Y) of the collar (4) over the service life of the device can be set, and so the creep deformation (Y) of the collar (4) can be compensated by way of the restoring element (11, 11a, 11b). The invention also relates to a fuel-energy conversion device, a motor vehicle and a method for fitting a device for the storage and delivery of liquid and/or gaseous media under pressure.