Socket Tool Pin Prevents Sealant Intrusion in Fluid Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of fluid connectors in fluid handling systems is often inefficient and prone to defects, leading to costly system downtime due to issues with sealant application and difficulty in accessing system components, which can result in leaks or blockages.
Innovation Solution
A socket tool with a hollow recess and a pin that aligns with the fluid connector's nozzle to prevent sealant from entering the conduit and stabilize the connector during installation, featuring adjustable spacers for various dimensions and a hollow expandable pin for improved rotational stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual installation of fluid connectors is performed, then installation flexibility is maintained, but installation precision and reliability deteriorate due to sealant application defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a socket tool as an intermediary device between the installer and the fluid connector. This tool includes a pin that acts as a mediator to control sealant flow into the conduit, ensuring precise sealant application without requiring complex automated systems. The pin physically blocks the conduit opening during installation, preventing sealant from entering the conduit space.
Solution Approach 2:
The socket tool performs preliminary actions by pre-positioning the pin to block the conduit opening before sealant application occurs. The tool is designed with the pin already in place to prevent sealant entry, and the hollow recess is pre-configured to accommodate the connector head fitting. This preliminary preparation ensures that when sealant is applied, it cannot enter the conduit, eliminating the need for post-installation corrections.
2Ease of operation
If system components are made accessible for maintenance, then installation ease is improved, but system design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The socket tool serves as a portable intermediary that brings the necessary installation control features directly to the installation location. Rather than redesigning the entire system to be more accessible, the tool compensates for difficult-to-reach areas by providing built-in guidance and control mechanisms (the pin and hollow recess) that work effectively in confined spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The socket tool is designed to be self-contained with all necessary features (hollow recess for engagement, pin for sealant blocking) integrated into a single portable device. The tool serves itself by automatically positioning the pin to block the conduit when the hollow recess engages with the connector head fitting, eliminating the need for additional system modifications or complex installation procedures.
3Reliability
If sealant is applied generously to prevent leaks, then sealing reliability is improved, but fluid flow may be restricted by excessive sealant
Solution Approach 1:
The pin in the socket tool performs a preliminary anti-action by blocking the conduit opening before sealant application. This pre-established barrier prevents sealant from entering the conduit space, allowing installers to apply sealant generously at the connection interface without worrying about sealant intrusion that would restrict fluid flow. The pin's blocking action counteracts the potential harmful effect of excessive sealant application.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin acts as an intermediary barrier between the sealant and the conduit interior. It allows the sealant to be applied in sufficient quantity to ensure reliable sealing at the connection interface while physically preventing any sealant from entering the fluid passage, thus maintaining both sealing reliability and fluid flow efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Socket tool for servicing fluid connectors. In one embodiment, a tool includes a body having a hollow recess at one end. The hollow recess has non-circular dimensions for rotating a head fitting of the fluid connector about an axis. The tool further includes a pin that mounts to a surface inside the hollow recess so that the pin is disposed in an axial direction along a center of the axis. The pin enters an aligned opening of a nozzle of the fluid connector and occupies a conduit space in the nozzle when the hollow recess is engaged with the head fitting of the fluid connector.