Single-Use Tri-Clamp With Self-Locking Seal Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing clamps used in the pharmaceutical and sanitary process industries risk damaging the integrity of clamped components due to over-tightening, leading to potential pressure failure and contamination, as they rely on threaded bolts and winged nuts that can be easily over-tightened, compromising the hygienic seal.

Innovation Solution

A clamp design featuring pivotally mounted jaw members with an articulated lever and latch mechanism, allowing for a 360-degree encircling seal without a threaded shaft, and incorporating a self-locking operation to prevent over-tightening, ensuring secure and hygienic connection of mating flanges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a threaded bolt and winged nut are used to lock the clamp jaws, then the clamp can be easily operated and adjusted, but the components can be over-tightened causing damage to the gasket and pipes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of clamp adjustmentVSAvoidintegrity of clamped components

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp is designed as a single-use disposable component that is discarded after one use, eliminating the risk of repeated over-tightening and damage to expensive pipes and gaskets. The clamp jaw and bolt assembly are intended for one-time application only.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The clamp uses a pre-engineered bolt length that is intentionally shorter than the minimum thread engagement requirement for permanent fastening. This parameter change ensures the bolt cannot be over-tightened beyond the designed clamping force, preventing damage to the gasket and pipes while maintaining adequate fastening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If a threaded bolt and winged nut are used to create clamping force, then the clamp can be easily adjusted and opened, but the gasket may protrude into sterile flow-paths causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of clamp adjustmentVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The disposable clamp design eliminates the risk of repeated adjustment and over-tightening that could cause gasket protrusion into sterile flow-paths. Once used, the entire clamp assembly is discarded, preventing any subsequent contamination risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The bolt length is deliberately designed to be insufficient for permanent fastening, creating a self-limiting clamping force that achieves the necessary seal without excessive pressure that would cause gasket deformation or protrusion into sterile areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of moving object

If a threaded bolt and winged nut are used, then the clamp can be adjusted and re-used multiple times, but the clamp and pipes may be damaged by over-tightening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclamp reusabilityVSAvoidclamp and pipe integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp is designed as a single-use component that is discarded after one application, eliminating the cumulative damage from repeated use and over-tightening. The low cost of the disposable clamp makes this approach economically viable despite the loss of reusability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The bolt length parameter is intentionally set shorter than required for permanent fastening, creating a self-limiting mechanism that prevents over-tightening damage while providing adequate clamping force for single-use applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 clamp design prevents over-tightening, prolongs the clamp's life, minimizes contamination risk, and maintains a secure seal, while being suitable for autoclaving and gamma irradiation, thus ensuring reliable fluid transfer without damaging the pipes.

Implementation Method 1

an articulated lever with a latch, the latch engageable with a catch disposed at the free end of the second jaw member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Advantage: Mechanical Advantage

Implementation Method 2

over-centre self-locking operation which by design joins the two separate halves of the clamp together by pushing the moving half of the clamp towards the fixed half of the clamp

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS20250216010A1Single-use sanitary tri-clamp

Publication Date: 2025.07.03 SCOTT DANIEL

AI summary

A clamp having a first arcuate clamp member pivotally connected to a second arcuate clamp member via a first pivot member 16 located at one end of the clamp members, the clamp members being pivotable between an open configuration in which the free ends of the clamp members are displaced from one another facilitating the insertion of the mating pipe flanges to be clamped, and a closed configuration wherein the free ends of the clamp members contact one another and encircle the mating flanged end connections. Associated with the first arcuate clamp member is an arcuate articulated lever which itself is pivotally attached by a third pivot member linking to member, which is itself pivotally attached by second pivot member to the free end of the first clamp member.