Stainless Steel Pipe Coupling Assembly for Pressure Leak Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Stainless steel coupling assemblies for pipes used in semiconductor and LCD manufacturing face issues with separation and leakage due to the mechanical properties of stainless steel, particularly under high-pressure conditions, leading to contamination and loss of gas or fluid.
Innovation Solution
A stainless steel coupling assembly design featuring ribs and locking mechanisms that enhance structural stability, including outward protruding ribs on the body part to prevent deformation and a locking part that integrates with a fastening groove, along with a fastening member system to secure the couplers, ensuring they remain connected under pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a stainless steel coupling assembly is used to ensure cleanliness and corrosion resistance, then material quality is improved, but the coupling assembly separates from the pipe during use due to mechanical properties of stainless steel
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling assembly is divided into multiple functional components: a body portion for connection, a locking portion with locking protrusions, and a fastening member. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function - the body provides the connection interface, the locking portion prevents separation through interlocking protrusions, and the fastening member secures the assembly. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining stainless steel material quality while adding structural features that prevent separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking protrusions are pre-formed on the locking portion of the coupling assembly before installation. These protrusions are designed to engage with corresponding features on the pipe end in advance, creating a predetermined locking mechanism that prevents separation. This preliminary structuring ensures that when the coupling is installed, the anti-separation function is already built-in, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining material quality.
2Ease of manufacture
If the coupling assembly is made of stainless steel, then corrosion resistance is improved, but leakage occurs as the coupling assembly separates from the pipe under water pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling assembly separates the corrosion resistance function (provided by stainless steel material of the body) from the leakage prevention function (provided by the locking portion with interlocking protrusions). This allows the body to maintain excellent corrosion resistance while the locking portion provides mechanical retention to prevent separation and leakage under water pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking protrusions feature curved surfaces that engage with corresponding curved surfaces on the pipe end, creating a mechanical interlock that resists separation forces from water pressure. The curved geometry distributes stress more effectively than flat surfaces, enhancing the anti-leakage performance while maintaining the stainless steel body's corrosion resistance.
3Device complexity
If simple couplers are used for connection, then device complexity is reduced, but deformation occurs under high pressure causing separation
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling structure is segmented into a body portion and a locking portion with distinct functions. The body portion maintains simple connection geometry, while the locking portion adds pressure-resistant features with protrusions that engage with the pipe end. This segmentation allows the overall structure to remain relatively simple while adding specific features that prevent deformation under high pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking portion is designed with localized structural features (locking protrusions and engagement surfaces) specifically at the regions where pressure forces are applied. This local reinforcement provides the necessary strength and deformation resistance under high pressure without making the entire coupling assembly complex. The simple body portion retains its straightforward geometry while the locking portion adds targeted structural enhancement.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a stainless steel coupling assembly for connecting pipes, in which two or more stainless steel couplers are placed opposite to connect the pipes continuously placed along the axial direction, and the pipes are connected in such a way that the plurality of couplers are disposed around the pipes and are fastened to each other. The coupler includes a body part provided with an internal space where a sealing member is disposed; a locking part that extends inward in the radial direction at both ends of the body part in the width direction and is inserted into a fastening groove formed in the pipe; and a fastening part disposed at both ends in the circumferential direction of the body part and through which a fastening member is fastened. On the top surface of the body part, a first rib protruding outward in the radial direction is formed.