Sealing Structure With Step Portions For Damage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing structures for hydrogen tanks and hydraulically-operated apparatuses face challenges in preventing damage during insertion, leading to potential fluid leakage due to misalignment and collision between the insertion and reception members.
Innovation Solution
A sealing structure with a columnar insertion member and cylindrical reception member, featuring step portions and back-up rings, allows for easy alignment and insertion while preventing damage by uniformly distributing forces across the O-ring, ensuring proper sealing and preventing fluid leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the insertion member is directly inserted into the reception member without step portions, then the structure is simpler, but the insertion member and reception member may collide and be damaged due to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion member is divided into two columnar portions with different diameters (first larger-diameter columnar portion and second smaller-diameter columnar portion), and the reception member is divided into corresponding cylindrical portions. This segmentation allows the smaller-diameter portion to guide insertion and prevent collision, while the larger-diameter portion provides the sealing function.
2Ease of operation
If the outer diameter of the insertion member is made slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the reception member for ease of fitting, then insertion is easier, but misalignment and collision still occur
Solution Approach 1:
The first step portion of the insertion member acts as an intermediary guiding element during insertion. It engages with the second cylindrical portion of the reception member to maintain coaxial alignment, preventing the smaller-diameter columnar portion from colliding with the reception member while ease of fitting is maintained.
3Reliability
If back-up rings are added to prevent O-ring damage, then sealing reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Back-up rings are positioned in advance within the reception member at the accommodation region. These rings provide preliminary protection to the O-ring against damage from pressure differential and misalignment during insertion, ensuring sealing reliability before actual sealing operation begins.
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 solution enables easy fitting of the insertion member into the reception member without damage, maintains effective sealing against fluid leakage, and extends the lifespan of the O-ring by minimizing deformation and pressure-induced damage.
Implementation Method 1
an O-ring disposed between the insertion member and the reception member for sealing a fluid in the storage body
Implementation Method 2
convert a pressure in the axial direction applied to each of the back-up rings into a radially outward force and a radially inward force
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing structure permits easy fitting of the insertion member into the reception member and that prevents damage to the insertion member and the reception member.The insertion member includes a first larger-diameter columnar portion, a first smaller-diameter columnar portion, and a first step portion.The reception member includes a second larger-diameter cylindrical portion, a second smaller-diameter cylindrical portion, and a second step portion.An accommodation region for accommodating an O-ring is defined by an outer circumferential surface of the first smaller-diameter columnar portion, an outer surface of the first step portion, an inner circumferential surface of the second larger-diameter cylindrical portion, and an inner surface of the second step portion.