Quick Coupling Radial Jaw Guide Ring for High-Pressure Sealing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing quick couplings for fluid circuits lack precision and security, particularly when dealing with high-pressure fluids and small diameters, and often require complex mechanical elements and tools for operation.

Innovation Solution

A quick coupling design featuring radially mobile jaws guided by a coaxial guide ring, which ensures precise and secure hooking without flexing or tilting, allowing for compact and economical connections to small terminals, and includes a tubular auxiliary body and obturator for easy assembly and disassembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If flexible elements are used for hooking, then the coupling can be activated in push-pull mode, but the hooking does not guarantee necessary safety and precision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepush-pull activationVSAvoidhooking safety and precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling is divided into a body and a separate hooking clamp with multiple jaws. The clamp is segmented into several independent jaws that can be actuated collectively, providing both ease of operation and reliable hooking through the distributed engagement points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A guide ring is introduced as an intermediary component between the jaws and the body. This guide ring ensures precise radial movement of the jaws during actuation, maintaining alignment and preventing tilting, thereby guaranteeing both ease of operation and hooking precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If annular sectors moved by elastic ring are used, then the coupling can be activated simply, but precise coupling with terminal is not guaranteed and performance deteriorates over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactivation mechanism simplicityVSAvoidcoupling precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The jaws are designed to be radially mobile rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust during actuation. The guide ring provides controlled radial movement, ensuring precise coupling while maintaining a simple activation mechanism through the elastic ring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The guide ring serves as a mediator that guides the radial movement of the jaws, ensuring precise coupling with the terminal. This intermediary component maintains coupling precision over time while keeping the activation mechanism simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Length of moving object

If long arms are used in hooking clamp, then radial opening/closing can be achieved, but secure and precise coupling is not guaranteed and longitudinal dimensions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvearm length for radial movementVSAvoidcoupling precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using long arms that extend radially, the invention uses a guide ring that constrains jaw movement to the radial dimension only. This eliminates the need for long arms while maintaining secure and precise coupling, reducing longitudinal dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide ring acts as an intermediary that enables radial opening and closing of the jaws without requiring long arms. By guiding the movement in the radial dimension, it achieves secure coupling while minimizing longitudinal dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If jaws are allowed to flex or incline during radial movement, then movement freedom is increased, but stable and precise hooking is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvejaw movement freedomVSAvoidhooking stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The hooking function is segmented into multiple independent jaws that move radially in unison. The guide ring ensures they move together without flexing or inclining, providing movement freedom in the radial direction while maintaining hooking stability through collective engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide ring is an intermediary component that constrains jaw movement to pure radial translation. It prevents flexing and inclining by providing guiding surfaces, thus maintaining hooking stability while allowing necessary radial movement freedom.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3320250B1Quick coupling
Publication Date: 2019.09.04 POLO SRL
  • EP3320250B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3320250B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~5
  • EP3320250B1 patent drawingFigure 6~6A

AI summary

The present invention relates to a quick coupling comprising: a substantially tubular main body (3) internally delimiting a passage conduit (C) for a fluid, where the main body (3) has a first end (6) configured for removably connecting to a terminal (2) and a second end (7) opposite the first end (6) and configured for connecting with a circuit; a plurality of jaws (13) arranged about a main axis (X-X) of the passage conduit (C) and operatively engaged with the main body (3) at the first end (6), wherein each of the jaws (13) is radially mobile with respect to the main body (3) between a first unhooked position from the terminal (2) and a second hooked position to the terminal (2); activating devices (21 ) operatively engaged with the jaws (13) for determining passage between the first position and the second position. A guide ring (11) coaxial to the main body (3) has radial guides (12) engaged to the plurality of jaws (13) for radially guiding the jaws (13) during movement between the first and the second position.