Sanitary Insert Unit Sealing Ring Buckling Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

The manufacturing and assembly of existing sanitary insert units with ventilated jet regulators are labor-intensive, and the sealing rings used for axial sealing are prone to buckling and collapse under pressure, compromising the secure fastening of the insert units to the sanitary outlet fittings.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a sealing ring with a greater height than thickness, supported by an annular wall to prevent lateral buckling, and a snap-in connection for the flow rate regulator unit, allowing for secure assembly with reduced effort and preventing sealing ring collapse during tightening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a sealing ring with greater height than thickness is used for axial sealing, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the sealing ring is prone to lateral buckling under axial pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidsealing ring stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The annular wall acts as an intermediary support structure between the sealing ring and the jet splitter. It provides lateral support to the sealing ring, preventing buckling while allowing the sealing ring to maintain its greater height for reliable sealing. The annular wall transfers and distributes the axial compression forces, preventing concentrated loads that would cause the sealing ring to buckle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing system combines multiple materials and structures: the sealing ring (flexible sealing material), the annular wall (rigid support structure), and the jet splitter (structural component). This composite approach allows the sealing ring to have greater height for reliability while the annular wall provides the necessary structural support to prevent buckling under pressure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If the jet regulator housing is designed with separate inlet-side and outlet-side parts, then the manufacturing effort is reduced, but the assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing effortVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The jet regulator housing is divided into separate inlet-side and outlet-side parts, allowing each to be manufactured independently using optimal manufacturing processes for each section. This segmentation enables modular assembly, where components like the flow rate regulator unit can be pre-assembled and tested before final integration, actually reducing overall assembly complexity despite the additional joining step.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If the annular wall is integrally formed on the jet splitter, then the structural stability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The annular wall is integrally formed with the jet splitter as a single piece, eliminating the need for separate fastening elements or alignment procedures. This merging provides inherent structural stability and rigidity to the assembly. Modern manufacturing processes like injection molding or CNC machining can produce integral structures with high precision, offsetting the increased manufacturing precision requirements through process capability rather than complex assembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 design significantly reduces manufacturing effort and ensures a secure, tight seal of the insert unit to the sanitary outlet fitting, even when assembled upside down, by preventing sealing ring collapse and facilitating easy assembly of the flow rate regulator unit.

Implementation Method 1

the annular wall supports the sealing ring against lateral buckling of the sealing ring in the event of axial compression

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuckling resistance:

Implementation Method 2

the water flowing through experiences an increase in speed, which, according to Bernoulli's equation, results in a negative pressure on the downstream side. Because of this negative pressure, ambient air is sucked in

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBernoulli's equation: Bernoulli Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3101184B1Sanitary insert unit
Publication Date: 2020.03.04 NEOPERL GMBH
  • EP3101184B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3101184B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3101184B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The application relates to a sanitary insertion unit (1) with a vented aerator (3) which has an aerator housing that can be inserted into a spout (2) that can be mounted on the water outlet of a sanitary outlet fitting. The housing has a housing inlet (4) and a housing outlet (5), and the aerator housing has a jet breaker (6) inside it. The aerator (3) is axially sealed by means of a sealing ring (23) that can be clamped between the aerator (3) and the outlet-side end face of the outlet fitting. The aerator (3) has an annular wall (24) on its inlet-side end face, which is surrounded on the outside by the sealing ring (23). The sealing ring (23) projects on one side beyond the annular wall (24) and on the other side beyond the inlet-side end face of the spout (2).