Quick Connector Retainer Guide Protrusion Deformation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing quick connectors for pipes with annular bosses face issues where the retainer legs can deform over time, leading to potential misalignment and safety concerns, as they either deform excessively when the pipe is inserted or not enough when it's not inserted, causing unreliable locking and unlocking mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a retainer with guide protrusions that spread when a pushing-in load is applied, reducing deformation when the pipe is inserted and increasing it for reliable locking, and includes temporary and permanent retaining portions to manage the deformation and locking states effectively, ensuring the retainer moves correctly between initial and confirmation positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the deformation amount of the retainer legs is increased to reliably restrict movement when the pipe is not inserted, then the locking reliability is improved, but the retainer legs may deform excessively when the pipe is inserted, leading to potential misalignment and safety concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is divided into multiple independent legs that can deform individually. Each leg is segmented into a deformation portion and a locking portion, allowing localized deformation without affecting the entire structure. This segmentation enables the retainer to achieve reliable locking through controlled local deformation while maintaining overall structural stability and preventing excessive deformation when the pipe is inserted.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the retainer legs are designed to deform minimally when the pipe is inserted to maintain stability, then the retainer leg integrity is improved, but the movement restriction capability when the pipe is not inserted becomes unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer legs are pre-configured with a specific deformation amount before the pipe insertion operation. This preliminary deformation is controlled within a predetermined range that ensures reliable movement restriction when the pipe is not inserted, while leaving sufficient margin to prevent excessive deformation when the pipe is inserted. The pre-set deformation state enables the retainer to reliably restrict movement without compromising structural stability.
3Ease of operation
If the retainer legs are made flexible to enable easy pushing-in operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the retainer legs may change with time and become movable from the initial position even when the pipe is not located at the normal position
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer legs exhibit different mechanical properties at different locations. The deformation portion is designed with higher flexibility to enable easy pushing-in operation, while the locking portion maintains greater rigidity to prevent time-dependent movement and ensure position stability. This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows the retainer to be easily operated while maintaining reliable position stability over time.
4Reliability
If the retainer legs are made rigid to prevent time-dependent changes, then the retainer position stability is improved, but the pushing-in operation becomes difficult and requires excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer legs transition from a rigid state during normal operation to a flexible state during the pushing-in operation. The deformation portion is designed to temporarily increase flexibility under applied force, enabling easy pushing-in operation. After the operation, the retainer returns to its original rigid state, maintaining position stability and preventing time-dependent movement. This dynamic property change allows the retainer to be both easy to operate and stable in position.
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
This configuration maintains retainer leg integrity over time, ensures reliable locking and unlocking operations, and simplifies the operation by allowing easy grasping of the locking and pulling-out processes, enhancing safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a guide protrusion guided by the outer peripheral face of the annular boss to spread each of the pair of retaining legs when a pushing-in load is applied to the retainer in a state where the pipe is inserted into the normal position of the connector body
Data Source
AI summary
In a quick connector of the present invention, each of a pair of retaining legs includes a guide protrusion guided by the outer peripheral face of an annular boss to spreadingly deform each of the pair of the retaining legs when a pushing-in load is applied to a retainer in a state where the retainer is located at an initial position and in a state where a pipe is inserted into a normal position of the connector body and at the same time releasing the movement restriction of the retainer from the initial position to a confirmation position by the spreading deformation of each of the pair of the retaining legs.