Telescoping Meter Flange for Low-Stress Water Meter Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of large water meters with flanged fittings is challenging due to critical meter setter spacing requirements, leading to stress on piping and difficulty in alignment and disassembly, especially in limited spaces.
Innovation Solution
A telescoping fluid coupling with a coupling body, retainer, and flange that allows guided translation and rotation, featuring a radially inwardly facing guide surface and stop shoulder for precise alignment and sealing, along with a valve assembly for fluid control, to facilitate easier installation and reduce stress on piping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the meter setter spacing is increased to accommodate large water meters, then the meter can be installed, but stresses are put on the piping
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is made telescopic, allowing it to extend and retract dynamically. During installation, the flange can be extended to provide adequate spacing for alignment and bolt access. Once installed, the flange retracts to minimize spacing and eliminate stresses on the piping system.
2Stress or pressure
If the meter setter spacing is decreased to reduce piping stress, then the meter cannot be installed without spreading apart the meter setter
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic flange can be extended during installation to provide the necessary spacing for aligning flange faces, inserting gaskets, and tightening bolts. After installation is complete, the flange retracts to its compact position, eliminating the need to spread apart the meter setter and avoiding stresses on the piping.
3Device complexity
If the flange is made fixed to simplify the structure, then alignment and disassembly become difficult in limited spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic mechanism allows the flange to extend to a working position where alignment and bolt access are facilitated, then retract to a compact storage position that simplifies the overall structure and ease of installation/removal in constrained spaces.
4Ease of operation
If traditional fixed flanges are used, then installation and removal of meters is difficult, but a telescoping mechanism adds complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic flange provides a movable coupling structure that extends during installation to facilitate alignment and bolt access, then retracts to enable easy removal. The guided telescopic motion ensures proper alignment while the compact retracted state minimizes the overall structure footprint.
Data Source
AI summary
A telescoping fluid coupling (10,110) is provided for use with a fluid flow device (12) and includes a coupling body (14,114) having a fluid port (16,116) extending along a longitudinal axis (18,118). A retainer (20,120) is fixed to the body (14,114) and includes a retaining shoulder (26,126). A flange (22,122) is mounted to the fluid port (16,116) and includes a radially inwardly facing guide surface (36,136) that surrounds a mount surface (24,124) and extends longitudinally along the axis (18,118) to provide guided, sliding translation of the guide surface (36,136) relative to the mount surface (24,124) along the axis (18,118). The flange (22,122) further includes a stop shoulder (38,138) to engage the retaining shoulder (26,126) to limit the translation of the flange (22,122) along the axis (18,128).