Spherical Flange Joint for Misaligned Pipe Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flange-type joints fail to accommodate angular misalignment between coupled components, leading to inadequate sealing and increased backpressure, and are difficult to assemble due to manual handling and size variance issues.
Innovation Solution
A spherical flange joint design featuring an adapter with convex surfaces, a gasket with concave and convex surfaces, and a clamp with curved surfaces, allowing for angular misalignment up to 2 degrees and ensuring proper sealing through a radially outward gasket extension and annular shape with tabs, supported by the pipe and secured by a V-band clamp.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional flange-type joints are used to couple components, then the joint structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the joint fails to accommodate angular misalignment between components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spherical surfaces on the coupling components, where a spherical protrusion on one component mates with a spherical recess on the other. This spherical geometry inherently accommodates angular misalignment while maintaining a secure connection, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If conventional flange-type joints with gaskets are used, then the joint can provide sealing, but the gasket is difficult to assemble and may shift out of center during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is pre-positioned within the spherical recess of one component before the coupling operation. This preliminary positioning ensures the gasket is correctly located and cannot shift during assembly, simultaneously improving ease of operation and sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket is nested within the spherical recess structure, where the recess geometry naturally constrains and centers the gasket. This nested arrangement eliminates the need for manual centering while ensuring proper sealing contact.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional joints are designed for coaxial alignment only, then the joint structure is simple, but the joint cannot function when components are misaligned
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical coupling surfaces allow for angular misalignment by accommodating rotation around the spherical contact point. This geometry reduces manufacturing precision requirements for alignment while maintaining functional performance, directly resolving the contradiction between adaptability and manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a flange joint for joining a first pipe to a second pipe includes an adapter coupled to the first pipe. The adapter includes a convex surface. The flange joint also includes a gasket with a first concave surface and a second convex surface. The first concave surface of the gasket is matingly engageable with the convex surface of the adapter. The second convex surface is matingly engageable with the second pipe. The gasket is supported on the first pipe. The flange joint further includes a clamp that includes a concave surface that is matingly engageable with the second pipe to secure the gasket to the adapter.