Quick Coupler Cap Locking Structure for Gap-Free Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coupler caps require significant worker strength for coupling and decoupling, have limited coupling power, are prone to deformation and wear, and offer poor sealability, leading to potential chemical leakage and pollution in semiconductor manufacturing environments.
Innovation Solution
A coupler cap design featuring a rotatable handle, stopper, and screw bar that locks the male coupler via a coupling groove, enhancing ease of use, durability, and sealability by minimizing deformation and abrasion, and utilizing an O-ring for sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional coupler caps are used, then the cap can cover the male coupler, but the cap requires significant worker strength for coupling and decoupling
Solution Approach 1:
The cap incorporates a rotatable handle that converts rotational motion into linear motion of the stopper through a screw bar mechanism. This dynamic transformation allows the worker to apply small rotational force to the handle, which is then amplified into the linear force needed to move the stopper and engage/disengage the coupling groove, significantly reducing the direct force required from the worker
Solution Approach 2:
The screw bar acts as an intermediary mechanical element between the handle and the stopper. When the handle rotates, the screw bar translates this rotational motion into linear displacement of the stopper, which then engages with the coupling groove. This intermediary mechanism provides mechanical advantage, allowing small input force to generate larger output force for coupling operations
2Reliability
If conventional coupler caps are used, then the cap can protect the coupler, but the coupling power is limited and gaps may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling groove is designed with a curved cross-sectional shape that complements the protrusion part of the stopper. This curved geometry allows the stopper to fit snugly into the groove, creating a gap-free interface that maximizes coupling strength and prevents separation. The curved surfaces distribute contact forces more evenly, enhancing the overall coupling power and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper is pre-positioned within the cap body at a location that allows it to automatically engage with the coupling groove when the cap is placed over the male coupler. The handle mechanism is designed so that minimal rotation is needed to move the stopper into its locked position, ensuring the coupling is established quickly and securely without requiring multiple adjustments or forceful actions
3Duration of action of stationary object
If conventional coupler caps are used, then the cap can be used for protection, but the cap deforms or wears out over time reducing durability
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is divided into distinct functional components: the cap body for protection, the handle for operation, the screw bar for motion transmission, and the stopper for locking. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and makes it easier to replace only the wear-prone stopper and handle assembly while retaining the durable cap body, effectively extending the overall service life of the coupler cap system
Solution Approach 2:
The cap body is designed to be made from chemically resistant materials suitable for semiconductor manufacturing environments, while the handle, screw bar, and stopper can be made from materials optimized for mechanical durability and low friction. This composite material approach allows each component to resist the specific types of degradation it encounters, with the cap body resisting chemical corrosion and the moving parts resisting wear and deformation, thereby extending the overall service life
4Reliability
If conventional coupler caps are used, then the cap can cover the coupler, but sealability deteriorates rapidly over time
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper's protrusion part is designed to automatically maintain contact with the coupling groove surface through the mechanical advantage provided by the screw bar mechanism. As the handle is rotated during coupling, the stopper is forced into the groove with sufficient force to create and maintain a reliable seal. The design ensures that the sealing surfaces remain in constant contact, preventing chemical leakage without requiring additional sealing components that could degrade over time
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a coupler cap and a quick coupler having the same, which can improve coupling power when the cap is coupled with the male coupler and maintain the coupled state with no gap so as to protect the coupler more perfectly. The coupler cap includes: a cap body having one side, which is opened and has a receiving hole so that a male coupler is inserted into the cap body in an axial direction, and the other side, which is closed; a handle connected to the cap body to be rotatable in a radial direction as an axial line; and a stopper moved rectilinearly in the radial direction of the cap body by rotation of the handle.