Spring-Lined Hose Clamp for Thermal Sealing Force Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hose clamps face challenges in maintaining clamping force due to thermal expansion and changes in hose material elasticity, leading to potential fluid or gas leakage, as existing spring liners fail to effectively compensate for these changes.
Innovation Solution
An annular spring liner with a central, flat, cylindrical ridge and circumferential shoulders is used, which increases unit loading on the hose by reducing the contact surface area and acts as a thermal compensator by deflecting elastically to maintain sealing force over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional spring liner with ridges is used, then the hose clamp can maintain some clamping force, but the clamping force is insufficient to compensate for thermal expansion and material degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The spring liner features a flat contact portion with a specific width (0.060 inches) that is narrower than the inner face width of the tensioning band (0.120 inches). This localized geometric modification concentrates the clamping force on a smaller area, increasing unit loading and improving sealing effectiveness to prevent leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring liner is designed with specific dimensional parameters including an outer diameter of 2.625 inches, inner diameter of 2.500 inches, and a flat contact portion width of 0.060 inches. These parameter changes optimize the elastic deflection characteristics and force distribution to maintain reliable clamping under thermal and aging conditions.
2Force
If the contact surface area between the spring liner and hose is large, then the clamping force is distributed, but the unit loading on the hose is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a flat contact portion that is narrower than the tensioning band width, the design concentrates the clamping force on a localized area of the hose. This increases the unit loading (force per unit area) on the hose while maintaining adequate force distribution through the spring liner's elastic properties.
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 solution enhances the radial pressure on the hose, providing improved sealing performance and compensating for thermal fluctuations and material degradation, resulting in a more uniform and consistent clamping force.
Implementation Method 1
acts as a thermal compensator by deflecting elastically to maintain sealing force over time
Implementation Method 2
Hose clamps, hose and fittings respond to changes in ambient temperature and system temperatures based on the thermal properties of the aforementioned components
Data Source
AI summary
An improved hose clamp having an annular band having an inner face, tensioning means, and an annular spring liner; the spring liner having a circumferential shoulder near an edge of the liner; and a central, cylindrical, flat contact portion of smaller circumference than the shoulder, and of smaller width than the inner face of the band. The shoulder is adapted to abut the inner face and the contact portion is adapted to contact a hose or other article to be clamped.