Rubber Lip Seal Structure for Misaligned Bored Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hermetically sealing devices for bored openings in fluid pipes require complex configurations and alignment adjustments, and are prone to misalignment, especially when the openings are slightly misaligned, which complicates the sealing process and reduces the reliability of the seal under water pressure.
Innovation Solution
A hermetically sealing device with a rubber seal featuring an inner lip that extends along the periphery of the bored opening, an outer lip that contacts the outer surface, and a slit that allows the outer-surface edge to enter, ensuring proper alignment and sealing, even with slight misalignment, and a harder rear rubber for enhanced sealing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hermetically sealing device is used to seal a bored opening in a fluid pipe, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but the device requires complex configuration and alignment adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber seal is divided into multiple functional lips (inner lip, outer lip, intermediate lip) with distinct roles. The inner lip seals the inner circumference of the bored opening, the outer lip seals the outer circumference, and the intermediate lip provides transition and positioning. This segmentation allows each lip to be optimized for its specific function, achieving reliable hermetic sealing while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The slit in the rubber seal acts as an intermediary element that allows the outer-surface edge of the bored opening to enter and engage with the seal structure. This slit enables automatic positioning and alignment of the seal with the bored opening, eliminating the need for complex alignment adjustments during installation while ensuring proper sealing contact.
2Manufacturing precision
If alignment adjustments are required for the hermetically sealing device, then sealing accuracy is improved, but installation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber seal structure with its slit and multiple lips is designed to self-align with the bored opening during installation. As the device is pushed onto the pipe, the slit allows the outer edge to enter and engage, automatically positioning the seal correctly without requiring manual alignment adjustments. The flexible rubber material further aids in self-adjustment to accommodate slight misalignments, achieving accurate sealing quickly.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber seal utilizes material property changes - specifically its flexibility and elasticity - to accommodate variations in bored opening dimensions and alignment. The rubber can deform to match the actual geometry of the bored opening, ensuring accurate sealing contact even when there are slight deviations from ideal dimensions, without requiring precise pre-alignment.
3Ease of manufacture
If the hermetically sealing device is made simpler, then cost is reduced, but positioning accuracy during attachment may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The slit in the rubber seal serves as a simple yet effective intermediary positioning feature. This single structural element allows the outer-surface edge of the bored opening to enter and engage, providing automatic alignment during attachment. This simple feature achieves accurate positioning without adding complexity to the overall device structure, maintaining ease of manufacture while ensuring proper positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber seal, as a flexible element, can deform and adapt to the actual geometry of the bored opening during installation. This flexibility allows the simple rubber seal structure to achieve accurate positioning and sealing contact without requiring complex rigid positioning mechanisms, maintaining device simplicity while ensuring positioning accuracy.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the hermetically sealing device accommodates slight misalignment of the bored opening, then versatility is improved, but sealing reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Different lips of the rubber seal have different local properties optimized for specific functions. The inner lip is designed to seal the inner circumference, the outer lip seals the outer circumference, and the intermediate lip provides transition. Each lip can independently accommodate local variations and misalignments at its respective location, while collectively maintaining reliable hermetic sealing across the entire bored opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber material's ability to change its physical parameters - specifically its shape and position through elastic deformation - allows the seal to accommodate slight misalignments of the bored opening. The rubber can stretch, compress, and deform to maintain contact with the bored opening surface even when there are dimensional variations or misalignments, ensuring sealing reliability despite the simplicity of the device structure.
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 device provides a simple, effective, and reliable hermetic seal that maintains alignment and performance under water pressure, preventing misalignment and improving workability and corrosion protection.
Implementation Method 1
an outer lip that is formed on an outer-circumference side relative to the slit and that transforms in such a manner that the outer lip extends toward an outer-circumference side for being hermetically in contact with an outer surface of the periphery of the bored opening
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(c)
AI summary
A hermetically sealing device has a sealing main-body and a rubber seal adhered to the sealing main-body. The rubber seal includes an inner lip, a slit and an outer lip. The inner lip extends along a periphery of the bored opening, and includes an outer-circumference surface that extends forward and inclines toward an inner-circumference side. The slit is formed on an outer-circumference side relative to the inner lip. An outer-surface-side edge of the bored opening enters the slit. The outer lip is formed on an outer-circumference side relative to the slit that is formed on an outer-circumference side relative to the inner lip, and transforms in such a manner that the outer lip extends toward an outer-circumference side to be hermetically in contact with an outer surface of the periphery of the bored opening.