Shear-Loaded Joint Geometry for Pressurized Air Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial vehicle air pressure system containers often experience leaks and reduced service life due to stress on weld seams, and are unable to store gas under high pressure.
Innovation Solution
A container arrangement with two separate parts joined via a shear-loading connection, designed to reduce material stresses on the joint by applying pressure, featuring increased wall thickness and specific geometric orientations of the joining sections to minimize tensile stress and maximize shear stress, ensuring a resilient and gas-tight connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If welding is used to connect container parts, then a gas-tight connection is achieved, but the service life is reduced due to stress on the weld seam
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple parts (container base and container end) that are connected via a closing element, allowing the structure to be segmented while maintaining integrity. This segmentation reduces stress concentration on single weld seams by distributing loads across multiple connection points and geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing element features a curved, dome-like geometry that distributes internal pressure loads more evenly across the connection interface between container base and end. This curvature eliminates sharp corners and stress concentration points, reducing material stresses on the joint while maintaining gas-tight sealing.
2Strength
If conventional welding connections are used, then structural integrity is achieved, but material stresses on the joint increase under pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The closing element employs a curved, domed surface that efficiently distributes internal pressure loads across its entire surface area. This geometry transforms concentrated tensile stresses into distributed compressive and shear stresses, significantly reducing material stress on the joint while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing element features locally optimized geometry with increased wall thickness in critical stress areas. This local quality enhancement provides additional structural strength at the connection interface without increasing overall container weight, allowing the joint to withstand higher pressures with reduced material stress.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard wall thickness is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the container cannot withstand high pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The closing element incorporates locally increased wall thickness at critical stress concentration areas, particularly at the connection interface with the container base. This localized reinforcement provides the necessary pressure resistance without requiring uniform wall thickness throughout the entire container, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while enabling high-pressure capability.
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 significantly increases the service life and operational reliability of the container by reducing stress on the joint, allowing it to withstand high pressures and maintain a gas-tight seal.
Implementation Method 1
the joining area is subjected to shear loading when a load is applied from the inside of the container
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a container assembly, in particular of an air pressure system of a utility vehicle, comprising a first region and a second region, wherein the first region and the second region together enclose at least part of a container interior, wherein the first region and the second region are connected to each other by means of a joint region, and wherein the joint region is loaded in shear when the container interior side is loaded.