Low-Spill Coupling Assembly for Sealed Quick Fluid Disconnects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coupling assemblies face challenges in minimizing fluid spillage and ensuring reliable sealing during connection and disconnection, particularly in applications requiring precise fluid handling.
Innovation Solution
The coupling system comprises a female coupling device with a spring-biased sleeve and multiple seals, and a male coupling device with a valve member and spring, allowing for controlled engagement and disengagement to facilitate fluid flow while maintaining a fluid-tight configuration, and an optional clip member for quick connection and disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coupling assembly uses a spring-biased sleeve with multiple seals to ensure reliable sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple independent seals (first seal, second seal, third seal) positioned at different locations. Each seal handles a specific sealing function, allowing the system to achieve reliable multi-point sealing while maintaining modular simplicity where each seal can be independently designed and replaced
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve is positioned within the main body and contains multiple seals nested within it. The stem head is positioned within the sleeve, creating a nested structure where the stem head engages the sleeve to displace seals in sequence. This nested arrangement allows compact packaging of multiple sealing functions without proportionally increasing overall device complexity
2Reliability
If a coupling assembly uses a valve member and spring to control fluid flow during engagement, then fluid flow control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is pre-positioned within the male coupling device's fluid passageway in a closed position, biased by a spring. During engagement, the valve member automatically opens as the male coupling device is inserted, allowing fluid flow to commence before full engagement is achieved. This preliminary positioning ensures controlled fluid flow without requiring complex active control mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-biased valve member automatically responds to engagement forces, opening and closing based on the insertion and removal of the coupling devices. The system self-regulates fluid flow without external control, using the mechanical energy of engagement and disengagement to drive the valve member, thereby simplifying the overall control architecture
3Ease of operation
If a coupling assembly is designed for quick connection and disconnection, then ease of operation is improved, but sealing reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is designed to be movable relative to the main body, transitioning between a retracted position (disconnected) and an engaged position (connected). This dynamic element allows quick connection and disconnection while maintaining sealing reliability through the spring-biased mechanism that ensures positive engagement and proper seal contact
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling assembly is designed for repeated cycles of connection and disengagement. The spring-biased sleeve and seal arrangement is optimized to maintain sealing reliability across multiple operational cycles, with the spring providing consistent restoring force to return the sleeve to its proper position after each engagement
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 system effectively minimizes spillage and ensures reliable sealing, allowing for efficient fluid transfer and easy connection/disconnection, suitable for various applications including biomedical and liquid cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring positioned about the stem that biases the sleeve into a closed position
Implementation Method 2
a second spring positioned within the second fluid passageway
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a low-spill coupling assembly including a female coupling device and a male coupling device.