Pass-Through Quick Connector With Visual Lock Confirmation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional quick connectors often fail to provide a secure and leak-free connection due to improper installation, leading to depressurization and leaks, especially when passing through sealed enclosures.
Innovation Solution
A pass through assembly confirmation quick connector system featuring a twist-lock mount and a confirmation ring that provides a visible indication of proper installation, ensuring the locking ring is securely locked by utilizing locking members, female receptors, and a confirmation ring with verification tabs and indication surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a quick connector system is designed to be simple and quick to install, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to improper installation and lack of verification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a verification mechanism where the confirmation ring provides visual feedback (visible indication) to the operator about the installation status. The indication surface shows whether the locking ring is properly positioned and locked, giving immediate feedback without requiring disassembly or complex inspection tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-verification through the confirmation ring and indication surface, which automatically display the installation status without requiring external inspection tools or expert knowledge. The connector essentially verifies its own installation correctness through the visible indication mechanism.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to ensure secure connection, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The confirmation ring acts as a thin, flexible indicator component that wraps around or attaches to the locking ring. This thin-film approach provides verification functionality without adding significant structural complexity or bulk to the locking mechanism itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The indication surface serves multiple functions: it provides visual confirmation of proper installation, indicates the locked state, and guides the operator during installation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate verification components, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If a confirmation mechanism is implemented to verify proper installation, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical verification methods (such as disassembly, tool-based inspection, or multi-step verification procedures) with a simple visual indication system. The confirmation ring with its indication surface provides immediate visual confirmation, substituting mechanical complexity with optical simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The indication surface likely uses color changes or color-coded visual cues to communicate installation status. Different colors or color patterns indicate proper vs. improper installation, providing intuitive verification without requiring the operator to understand complex mechanical states or perform additional verification steps.
4Reliability
If the locking ring is made secure and difficult to disengage, then reliability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism likely employs dynamic elements such as spring-loaded locking members or movable locking surfaces that engage securely during normal operation but can be easily disengaged through a specific release action. The confirmation ring may also have dynamic characteristics, allowing it to be easily removed or moved when the locking ring needs to be disassembled for repair.
Data Source
AI summary
A pass through assembly confirmation quick connector comprising a pass through tube (12) having a cylindrical outer surface (20), a tubular locking ring (14) disposable on the outer surface of the pass through tube, a twist-lock mount (16) releasably connecting the pass through tube and the locking ring, and a confirmation ring (18) releasably connected to the locking ring, wherein twisting the locking ring relative to the pass through tube moves the locking ring between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein the confirmation ring secures the locking ring in the locked position.