Spray Nozzle Clamp Assembly for Multi-Size Supply Pipes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Designing an integrated and robust clamping system for spray nozzles that minimizes cost and complexity while accommodating various pipe sizes and fluid outlet bore sizes for different flow capacities is a challenge in agricultural and industrial applications.

Innovation Solution

A nozzle body with a supply pipe clamp assembly featuring upper and lower clamp halves, a vertically oriented cylindrical receiver hole, and a tubular fluid delivery stem that can be adapted for different pipe diameters, including a selectively insertable pipe-size adapter and a strengthening web within the fluid delivery stem to secure the nozzle to fluid supply pipes of varying diameters and outlet sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a robust clamping system is designed to accommodate various pipe sizes and fluid outlet bore sizes, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to various pipe sizes and outlet bore sizesVSAvoidclamping system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp assembly is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate multiple pipe sizes (e.g., 1-inch standard pipe or 20 mm tubing) and various fluid outlet bore sizes (ranging from 9.5 mm to 17 mm) through a single integrated design, eliminating the need for multiple specialized clamps for different applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The clamp assembly is divided into separable upper and lower clamp halves that can be independently positioned and adjusted, allowing flexible configuration to match different pipe diameters and outlet sizes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If an integrated clamping system is designed to accommodate various pipe sizes, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to various pipe sizesVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

A single universal clamp assembly design serves multiple pipe size applications, reducing the total number of different clamp types that need to be manufactured, stored, and managed across different spray nozzle applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The clamp assembly merges the clamping function with the fluid delivery function by integrating the fluid delivery stem with the lower clamp half, creating a combined component that performs both mechanical attachment and fluid transport functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11794204B2Spray nozzle mounting for receiving fluid from distribution pipe

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 DEERE & CO

AI summary

A spray nozzle body has an upper end provided with a clamp arrangement comprising upper and lower clamp halves tightly clamped onto a fluid supply tube having a preselected first diameter. A removable tubular fluid delivery stem is received in a receiver hole extending vertically into the nozzle body from a clamping surface of the lower clamp half and has an upper end portion tightly received in a fluid outlet hole, of preselected size, provided in the supply tube. The clamp arrangement may be reconfigured for being clamped onto a smaller fluid supply tube by providing a replacement upper clamp half and a pipe-size adapter, each having appropriately sized clamping surfaces, with the adapter being seated within the clamping surface of the lower clamp half. The pipe-size adapter incorporates a suitably dimensioned fluid delivery stem.