Thin-Walled Pipe Joint With Segmented Sealing Rings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe coupling technologies in the oil and gas industry face challenges with reusability and fluid leakage, as they often require plastic deformation for sealing, which is not desirable, and are difficult to mount and manufacture safely.
Innovation Solution
A pipe joint design featuring a hollow pin member, a box member, and two rings with threaded connections that allow for easy assembly and disassembly without plastic deformation, using a locating surface to prevent relative movement and ensure a fluid-tight seal, with robust thread configurations to prevent cross-threading and overwinding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plastic deformation is used for sealing (as in prior art fittings), then sealing effect is achieved, but reusability is lost and elements cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented from the connection function. The sealing element (ring) is separated as an independent replaceable component that can be removed and replaced without deforming the pipe or fitting body, enabling reuse of the main elements while maintaining sealing capability through the ring element
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing ring acts as an intermediary element between the pipe and fitting body. This mediator provides the sealing effect through its material properties (elasticity, compressibility) rather than through plastic deformation of the connected elements, allowing the pipe and fitting to be reused
2Strength
If complex mounting procedures are used (as in prior art with multiple grooves and protrusions), then connection strength is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The complex groove and protrusion features are extracted from the pipe and fitting body surfaces. Instead of requiring these intricate surface features for mounting, the design uses a simpler interface where a ring element provides both the connection and sealing functions, significantly simplifying the mounting procedure while maintaining connection strength
3Ease of operation
If threaded connections without protective features are used, then ease of assembly is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to cross-threading and overwinding
Solution Approach 1:
The thread design incorporates preliminary protective features (such as alignment guides, controlled thread engagement geometry, or stop mechanisms) that prevent cross-threading and overwinding before they can occur. This allows the threaded connection to be assembled easily while built-in protective features ensure reliability by preventing assembly errors
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention concerns a pipe joint (1) for connecting a first pipe to a second pipe, comprising a hollow pin member (2) on the side of the first pipe, comprising a hollow box member (3), which is at least partially surrounding the pin member (2) and which is connected to a second pipe, wherein a first ring (4) is placed near an end of said pin member (2) and a second ring (5) is engaged with the box member (3), and wherein the second ring (5) abuts axially against the first ring (4), wherein the first ring (4) abuts axially against said box member (3), wherein the second ring (5) is generally extending from the first ring (4) in the direction opposite to said end of the pin member (2) which is next to the box member (3). The invention concerns also a method to fluid tightly couple a first pipe to a second pipe.