Segmented Housing Joint With Elastic Ring for Pipe Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional housing type joints for small-diameter pipes are heavy, difficult to assemble, and not easily attachable or removable due to their casting structure.

Innovation Solution

A housing type joint composed of at least three arcuate segments with an elastic ring and a fastening band, featuring engagement projections and positioning holes for easy alignment and assembly, allowing for hermetic sealing without welding or small screws, making the joint lightweight and compact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If semicircular joint segments are made by casting, then the housing type joint achieves hermetic sealing capability, but the total weight becomes heavy and the structure becomes difficult to make compact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehermetic sealing capabilityVSAvoidtotal weight of housing type joint

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple arcuate segments (at least three) arranged circumferentially with gaps between them, replacing the conventional cast semicircular joint segments. This segmentation allows the use of lighter materials and reduces overall weight while maintaining structural integrity and sealing capability through the elastic ring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If semicircular joint segments are made by casting, then the housing type joint achieves structural integrity, but assembly and attachment operations become difficult to conduct at workplace

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidease of assembly and attachment

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into multiple arcuate segments that can be easily assembled at the workplace. The segmentation combined with the elastic ring and fastening band enables simple assembly operations without requiring heavy casting equipment or complex welding procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic ring is pre-formed with engagement projections that correspond to positioning holes in the arcuate segments. This preliminary preparation of the sealing component ensures that when the segments are assembled, the elastic ring automatically engages and provides both sealing and positioning functions, simplifying the assembly process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If conventional cast structure is used, then the housing type joint achieves sealing function, but the joint becomes difficult to remove from pipes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing functionVSAvoidease of removal from pipes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The housing structure transitions from a rigid cast design to a dynamic assembly of arcuate segments held together by a fastening band. This dynamic structure allows the housing to be easily attached to and removed from pipes by simply fastening or unfastening the band, while the elastic ring maintains the sealing function throughout.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Weight of moving object

If arcuate segments are arranged with gaps, then the housing type joint becomes lightweight and compact, but positioning accuracy with respect to elastic ring becomes critical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of housing type jointVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic ring with engagement projections automatically positions itself relative to the arcuate segments through the positioning holes. This self-positioning mechanism eliminates the need for high-precision manufacturing of the gaps between segments, as the elastic ring's engagement projections naturally align with the positioning holes during assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Facilitates easy assembly, attachment, and removal of the joint at the workplace, improving efficiency and compatibility with conventional pipes while reducing weight and size.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic ring arranged in the space (7) formed in the semicircular joint segments (1, 2) for sealing the end portions of two pipes (5, 6)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS7390026B2Housing type joint

Publication Date: 2008.06.24 THE VICTAULIC COMPANY OF JAPAN LIMITED

AI summary

A housing type joint including: a housing formed by arranging at least three arcuate segments in a circumferential direction with gaps; an elastic ring arranged in the housing for hermetically sealing end portions of a pair of pipes; a fastening band arranged so as to surround an outside surface of the housing and having loop portion at both ends thereof; and a fastening unit that makes the loop portions at both ends of the fastening band closer to each other, in order to make the arcuate segments closer to each other or in contact with each other; wherein the elastic ring has engagement projections at positions located in a circumferential direction thereof with gaps, correspondingly to the respective arcuate segments, each engagement projection extending outward in a radial direction of the elastic ring; each arcuate segment has a positioning hole into which each engagement projection is inserted; and a fastening-band guiding part is provided on an outside surface of each arcuate segment for guiding the fastening band.