Taper Lock Joint Assembly for Tight End-to-End Pile Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing butt joints for connecting elongate members, such as concrete pile sections, face challenges with difficult assembly, potential pin bending, and lack of tightness due to misalignment and machining inaccuracies.
Innovation Solution
A taper lock joint design featuring tapered male and female connector units with aligned lateral locking pin holes, where the locking pin insertion draws the male part further into the recess, ensuring a tight fit and eliminating free play, utilizing U-shaped members and peripheral bands for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional cylindrical spigot and socket joints are used, then the connection between pile sections is achieved, but accurate machining and positioning is difficult resulting in lack of tightness when assembled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the connector from cylindrical to tapered. The tapered shape with gradually decreasing diameter along the length provides self-aligning properties and ensures tight fit without requiring extremely precise machining and positioning, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the connector geometry by using a tapered shape instead of a symmetric cylindrical form. The asymmetric taper allows the connector to naturally align and seat tightly in the socket, reducing the sensitivity to machining variations and positioning errors
2Reliability
If locking pin is driven in with force to overcome misalignment, then the joint is secured, but the pin may be bent resulting in unreliable locking
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered shape of the connector performs preliminary alignment action before the locking pin is inserted. The taper guides the components into proper alignment, so that when the locking pin holes are drilled and pinned, the components are already well-aligned, eliminating the need to force the pin and preventing bending
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered connector acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the two pile sections. It provides a gradual transition and alignment surface that facilitates easy insertion of the locking pin while ensuring reliable locking, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation
3Ease of operation
If transverse holes are not correctly aligned in traditional joints, then assembly becomes difficult, but forcing the pin causes bending and potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the connector to include a taper, which provides self-aligning properties. This ensures that the transverse holes for the locking pin are automatically aligned during assembly, making the assembly process easy while maintaining the integrity of the locking pin without forcing or bending
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a joint for connecting first and second elongate members together end to end, the joint comprising: a first connecting structure and a second connecting structure at an opposed end of the second elongate member; one of the first and second connecting structures comprising at least one male connector unit having a longitudinally projecting male part which is tapered in the longitudinal direction; the other of the first and second connecting structures having at least one female connector unit defining a correspondingly tapered recess into which the male part is received; the other of the first and second connecting structures defining lateral locking pin holes aligned either side of the recess and the male part having a corresponding lateral locking pin hole; and a locking pin insertable through the corresponding locking pin holes.