Grip Lock Sprinkler Connector for Leakproof No-Cure Pipe Joining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire sprinkler system installations face challenges with solvent welding, requiring skill and time, and are hindered by access limitations and time constraints, especially when completed after wall finishings are done.
Innovation Solution
A grip lock connector with a ring of gripper teeth and a gasket or O-ring for a secure, leakproof connection between the water supply pipe and the fire sprinkler, eliminating the need for adhesive or welding and allowing for rapid installation with reduced skill requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solvent welding is used to join fire sprinkler pipes and fittings, then a permanent watertight joint is created, but the process requires skill and time for adequate solvent application and cure time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical solvent welding process with a mechanical grip lock connection system. The grip lock connector uses a ring with gripper teeth that mechanically grasp the pipe, eliminating the need for solvent application and cure time while creating a secure, permanent connection suitable for fire sprinkler systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is divided into separate components: a grip lock connector that attaches to the pipe and a separate fire sprinkler head. This segmentation allows the pipe connection to be made independently without requiring the time-consuming solvent welding process, enabling faster installation while maintaining connection reliability.
2Reliability
If solvent welding is used to join fire sprinkler pipes, then a permanent connection is achieved, but limited access to pipes after wall finishings makes the process difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring access to insert solvent and wait for curing, the grip lock connector is designed to be slipped onto the pipe externally and then secured by tightening the grip lock mechanism. This inverted approach allows installation in tight spaces where traditional solvent welding would be difficult or impossible to perform.
3Strength
If solvent welding is used for fire sprinkler plumbing, then adequate bonding is achieved, but time constraints make the cure time a significant disadvantage
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical grip lock connection replaces the chemical bonding process entirely. The gripper teeth create immediate mechanical engagement with the pipe, providing sufficient holding strength for fire sprinkler applications without requiring any cure time, thus dramatically improving installation productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip lock connector is designed to self-adjust and self-secure when installed. As the connector is tightened, the gripper teeth automatically grip the pipe with increasing force, eliminating the need for skilled workers to judge proper solvent application or monitor cure time, thereby speeding up installation.
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
Facilitates immediate and secure connections that can withstand hydraulic pressures, enabling quick assembly and testing of fire suppression systems without the need for solvent welding, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional solvent weld methods.
Implementation Method 1
A gasket or O-ring directly behind the gripper teeth facilitates a leakproof connection
Implementation Method 2
The water supply pipe is retained within an interior chamber and grasped and retained by the multiplicity of gripper teeth
Data Source
AI summary
A grip lock connector member which connects a supply pipe from a source of water to a fire sprinkler through an interior grip lock connector. The grip lock connector includes a multiplicity of gripper teeth which form a tight grip connection to the supply pipe. The supply pipe is retained within an interior chamber and grasped and retained by the multiplicity of gripper teeth at the interior end of the interior chamber. A gasket or O-ring directly behind the gripper teeth facilitates a leakproof connection. At its opposite end, the grip lock connector includes female mating threads which receive male threads at a top location of a fire sprinkler.