Slit Heating Element Cover for Gap-Free Pipe Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heating element covers for radiant cooling and heating apparatuses require high processing accuracy and time for assembly due to gaps between abutting portions and the flow pipe, which can lead to heat loss and reduced thermal conductivity, and often use heat radiation grease that degrades in conductivity.
Innovation Solution
A heating element cover component with a hollow outer shell, a half-pipe shaped abutting portion with a slit for flexibility, and engaging elements for easy assembly, made from materials like aluminum for improved thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance, allowing for close-fitting without gaps and reduced manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the inner diameter of abutting portions is made slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flow pipe to avoid damage, then the flow pipe is protected from pressing force damage, but a gap is created between the abutting portions and the flow pipe
Solution Approach 1:
A soft elastic body is introduced as an intermediary substance between the abutting portions and the flow pipe. This elastic body fills the gap created by the intentional diameter mismatch, providing both mechanical protection and thermal conduction. The soft material deforms to conform to the flow pipe surface while maintaining contact pressure, eliminating the air gap that would cause heat loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the interface between cover and flow pipe by using a material with different elasticity and compliance properties. The soft elastic body has lower stiffness than the rigid abutting portions, allowing it to deform and fill gaps while maintaining continuous contact. This parameter change transforms the interface from a rigid gap-prone connection to a compliant, gap-free thermal path.
2Loss of energy
If high processing accuracy is applied to achieve close-fitting between abutting portions and flow pipe, then thermal conductivity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The soft elastic body serves as a compensating intermediary that eliminates the need for high-precision machining. Instead of requiring the abutting portions to be manufactured with tight tolerances to achieve gap-free contact, the elastic material fills any gaps created by conventional manufacturing tolerances, providing a reliable thermal path without demanding high processing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the compliance parameter of the interface by introducing a soft, deformable material. This allows the system to tolerate variations in dimensional parameters (gaps, misalignments) that would otherwise require high-precision manufacturing, thereby reducing the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining good thermal conductivity.
3Loss of energy
If heat radiation grease is applied to fill gaps, then thermal conductivity is improved, but assembly time and labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the gap-filling function from the heat radiation grease application process and integrates it into the structural design of the abutting portions themselves. By making the abutting portions slightly larger than the flow pipe diameter and using the elastic body to fill the gap, the need for separate grease application steps is eliminated, reducing assembly time and labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft elastic body performs the gap-filling function automatically during assembly through its elastic deformation properties. As the abutting portions are pressed against the flow pipe, the elastic material deforms to fill any gaps without requiring manual application of grease or other thermal compounds. The structure itself provides the thermal path enhancement that would otherwise require additional assembly steps.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the abutting portions are made rigid to maintain structural stability, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to achieve close-fitting without gaps is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different mechanical properties to different parts of the cover structure. The main body of the abutting portions remains rigid to provide structural stability and maintain the overall shape and position of the cover. However, the interface region incorporates a soft elastic body that provides compliance for gap-free contact. This local differentiation of material properties allows both structural stability and good thermal conductivity to coexist.
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 provides excellent thermal conductivity and close-fitting properties, reducing heat loss and assembly time, while eliminating the need for special tools and reducing manufacturing costs, and preventing electrolytic corrosion.
Implementation Method 1
a substantially half-pipe shaped abutting portion formed with a required thickness at a required site of the outside of the outer shell portion in parallel with a longitudinal direction of the outer shell portion, having flexibility and thermal conductivity, and with a slit penetrating in a thickness direction formed over the entire length in parallel with the longitudinal direction
Implementation Method 2
having flexibility and thermal conductivity
Data Source
AI summary
A heating element cover component includes a hollow outer shell portion of a required length, having required rigidity and thermal conductivity, a substantially half-pipe shaped abutting portion formed with a required thickness on the outside of the outer shell portion in a longitudinal direction of the outer shell portion, having flexibility and thermal conductivity, and with a slit penetrating in a thickness direction formed over the entire length in the longitudinal direction, a connecting portion having flexibility and thermal conductivity, connecting opposed edges of the abutting portion in the longitudinal direction with the outer shell portion, and an engaging portion constituted with a projecting piece and a projecting piece inserting portion being engaging elements disposed at line-symmetrical positions using a longitudinal straight line located at a widthwise middle of the abutting portion as an axis of symmetry to form a pair structured to be engageable with each other.