Steel Ring Locking Teeth Layout for Higher Pipe Fitting Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steel rings in compression pipe fittings fail to generate sufficient locking force and often cause uneven stress on manufacturing dies, leading to processing difficulties and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A steel ring design with symmetrically arranged locking teeth, featuring an included angle less than 90 degrees and axisymmetric groups, which generates a greater locking force and uniform stress distribution during manufacturing, ensuring die longevity and reduced production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional steel ring designs are used, then the structure is simple, but the locking force generated is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The steel ring is segmented with multiple locking teeth distributed around its circumference. Each locking tooth acts as an independent segment that engages with the pipe fitting, collectively generating sufficient locking force through distributed contact points rather than relying on a single complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking teeth are designed with asymmetric geometry where the contact surface area on one side of each tooth is greater than on the other side. This asymmetric design creates a mechanical advantage that amplifies the locking force generated by the compression action, allowing the steel ring to generate greater holding force without increasing overall structural complexity.
2Force
If asymmetric steel ring structures are used, then locking force is improved, but stress distribution on manufacturing dies becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The steel ring incorporates locking teeth with locally optimized asymmetric geometry only where needed for locking function, while the overall ring structure maintains symmetric stress distribution. The asymmetric features are confined to specific local regions (the tooth profiles) rather than the entire structure, allowing improved locking force without compromising die stress uniformity during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking teeth employ asymmetric profiles with varying contact surface areas to generate directional locking forces, while the symmetric arrangement of multiple teeth around the ring ensures that stresses are distributed evenly across the manufacturing die during the forming process.
3Force
If locking teeth with large contact area are used, then locking force is enhanced, but the steel ring structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The total locking force requirement is distributed across multiple segmented locking teeth rather than requiring a single large-contact-area feature. Each tooth provides a portion of the total locking force, and the cumulative effect of multiple teeth achieves the desired force level without requiring any individual tooth to be overly complex or large.
Solution Approach 2:
Each locking tooth utilizes asymmetric geometry to maximize the mechanical advantage and locking efficiency of its contact surfaces. This asymmetric design allows each tooth to generate disproportionate locking force relative to its size, enabling sufficient total locking force with simpler, more compact tooth structures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A steel ring includes a locking component. The locking component is provided on an inner surface of a ring body in a protruding manner. The locking component includes locking teeth, and the locking tooth is sheet-like and includes a fixed part and a contact part. Multiple locking teeth constitute a first locking tooth group, and with regard to the locking teeth in the first locking tooth group, the distance between the fixed parts is smaller than the distance between the contact parts. Multiple locking teeth constitute a second locking tooth group, and with regard to the locking teeth in the second locking tooth group, the distance between the fixed parts is greater than the distance between the contact parts. The ring body has a first state and a second state. When the ring body is in the first state, the ring body is in an unclosed annular shape, and when the ring body is in the second state, the ring body is in a closed annular shape.