Snap-in Connector With Orientation Plate for Rapid Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tubing connections in complex machinery, such as truck engines, are time-consuming to establish and prone to damage due to threaded fittings, which can be misaligned or overtightened, leading to inefficiencies and potential leaks.
Innovation Solution
A connector system comprising a plug portion with resilient retention fingers and an orientation plate that provides a fixed axial and rotational orientation, allowing for quick and secure fluid-tight connections without rotation, utilizing a combination of ramps and an O-ring for sealing and retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If threaded fittings and nut connections are used to provide compression seal and prevent rotation, then the connection reliability is improved, but the connection time increases substantially and the threads are liable to be damaged or stripped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the threading operation from the connection process by using a push-fit mechanism with external threads on the plug that engage with internal threads in the receiving fitting. This eliminates the need for individual threading of each connection, reducing connection time while maintaining reliability through the retained threading for seal and anti-rotation functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug portion is pre-formed with external threads and the receiving portion is pre-formed with internal threads and a push-fit mechanism. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid connection without on-site threading operations, resolving the contradiction between connection time and reliability.
2Reliability
If threaded fittings are used to provide compression seal, then the seal reliability is improved, but the threads are liable to be damaged or stripped if misaligned or overtightened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a push-fit mechanism as an intermediary that guides the plug into proper alignment with the receiving fitting before thread engagement. This intermediary action prevents misalignment and overtightening damage while maintaining the threading-based compression seal for reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The push-fit mechanism provides preliminary anti-action by preventing misalignment and controlling the engagement force before the threads engage. This preliminary protective action eliminates the harmful effects of misalignment and overtightening while preserving the seal reliability of the threaded connection.
3Strength
If conventional tubing connections are used, then the connection strength is improved, but the installation complexity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into distinct functional components: a push-fit mechanism for rapid engagement, external threads for compression seal, and anti-rotation features. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, maintaining connection strength while improving installation productivity through simplified assembly steps.
4Stability of the object's composition
If threaded fittings are used to prevent rotation, then the rotational stability is improved, but the installation time increases and the risk of thread damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the anti-rotation function with the sealing function by integrating anti-rotation features into the threaded connection structure. This combination maintains rotational stability while eliminating separate anti-rotation operations, thereby reducing installation time and thread damage risk.
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
Enables rapid and reliable tubing connections that prevent rotation and ensure a fluid-tight seal, reducing the risk of damage and leakage while simplifying the installation process.
Implementation Method 1
a tube having a resilient retention portion at the forward end of the tube
Implementation Method 2
an O-ring as the sealing member
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A connector system includes a plug portion and a receiving portion. The plug portion includes a resilient retention portion at the forward end of the plug portion, a sealing member distal from the retention portion, an orientation plate rigidly connected to the plug portion, wherein the orientation plate has a frontal profile including one or more straight edges. The receiving portion includes, a hole through the receiving portion, wherein the hole has a diameter smaller than a largest diameter of the resilient retention portion, a shoulder on one side of the receiving portion that cooperates with the retention portion to fix the axial position of the plug portion in the receiving portion, a recess on the opposite side of the receiving portion, wherein the recess has a frontal shape similar to the frontal profile of the orientation plate, wherein the orientation plate fits within the recess to fix the rotational orientation of the plug portion with respect to the receiving portion.