Tangential Pin Joint for Leak-Resistant High-Pressure Connections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-pressure connection assemblies for components like plunger lift lubricators are prone to leaks, difficult to assemble and disassemble, and susceptible to cross-threading, which can damage the connection.
Innovation Solution
A tangential pin connection system where at least one pin with a yield strength of at least 20 thousand pounds per square inch is inserted tangentially through openings in the high-pressure components, providing a strong and leak-resistant connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If threaded fasteners are used to connect high-pressure components, then the connection can be assembled, but the assembly is difficult to disassemble and susceptible to leaks and cross-threading damage
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into a male component with a protruding pin and a female component with a corresponding opening. The pin is inserted through the opening to create a positive mechanical connection that is easy to assemble and disassemble while maintaining reliability under high pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
A lubricator is introduced as an intermediary substance between the mating surfaces of the male and female components. This lubricator reduces friction during assembly and disassembly operations while maintaining seal integrity under high-pressure conditions.
2Strength
If flange plates with multiple bolts are used to hold components together, then the connection strength is increased, but the device becomes bulky and assembly requires complex torque patterns
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple bolts distributed across flange plates, the connection strength is achieved through a single pin that passes through both components. This segmented approach concentrates the load-bearing function in one element, eliminating the need for complex multi-bolt torque patterns while maintaining connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional flange-and-bolt configuration is inverted by using a pin that passes through both components rather than bolts fastening flanges from opposite sides. This inversion simplifies the structure by eliminating the need for large flange plates while maintaining connection integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional connection methods are used, then components can be joined, but alignment of the components is difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The male component is designed with a protruding pin and the female component with a corresponding opening positioned and sized to receive the pin. This preliminary geometric configuration ensures that when the pin is inserted, the components are automatically aligned with high precision, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures during assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A strong connection that ensures alignment between components and which is capable of being used for high-pressure applications. The connection is held together with one or more pins that are positioned tangentially along the interfacing plane of the components and which pins are positioned such that they are placed in sheer along a significant portion of their length instead of merely across their diameter. The pins can be held in place with one or more structures, which can include threaded fasteners, to prevent the pins from being inadvertently removed.