Injection-Molded Threaded Flange for Leak-Resistant Flexible Tanks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing threaded flanges for flexible tanks are expensive and prone to leaking or failure, particularly due to their metal components and complex manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A threaded flange designed with a base, upstanding passage, and support assembly, made entirely from injection molded polymer, featuring a grasping member for tool access and a reinforcing member for fluid-tight sealing, eliminating the need for metal inserts and adhesives, and allowing for easy welding with the flexible tank material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal flanges with metal inserts are used, then strength and sealing are improved, but cost increases and reliability decreases due to leaking propensity
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is made entirely from polymer material without metal inserts or heterogeneous components. The base, upstanding passage, support assembly, and sealing features are all integrated into a single polymer structure, eliminating material incompatibility and interface leakage problems associated with metal-polymer combinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange utilizes advanced polymer composite materials that provide both structural strength and sealing capabilities. The polymer material is engineered to have enhanced mechanical properties while maintaining compatibility with the flexible tank fabric, achieving both strength and leak resistance through material composition rather than metal components.
2Reliability
If metal flanges with complex assembly are used, then sealing is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional elements are merged into a single integrated polymer flange structure. The base, upstanding passage, support assembly, and sealing features are all formed as one piece through injection molding, eliminating the need for separate metal inserts, gaskets, and multiple assembly steps while maintaining effective sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange design includes self-contained sealing features and structural support elements that are inherently part of the polymer structure. The integrated design provides self-supporting capabilities and self-sealing functionality without requiring external metal reinforcement or additional sealing components, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly.
3Ease of manufacture
If polymer flanges without metal inserts are used, then cost decreases and ease of manufacture improves, but strength and leak resistance may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer material parameters are optimized to achieve the required mechanical strength. The injection molding process parameters, polymer formulation, and flange geometric parameters are all adjusted to ensure the all-polymer flange meets or exceeds the strength requirements previously achieved only with metal reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange incorporates curved and rounded geometric features in its design, including the upstanding passage and support assembly contours. These curved geometries distribute stress more effectively and enhance the structural integrity of the polymer flange, compensating for the absence of metal inserts through optimized shape design.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If traditional metal flanges are used, then durability is improved, but cost increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Metal inserts and complex multi-component assembly features are extracted from the flange design. The solution removes the problematic metal components entirely, retaining only the essential polymer structure needed for functionality, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining durability through simplified all-polymer construction.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a cost-effective, leak-resistant, and durable threaded flange for flexible tanks, ensuring a fluid-tight seal without the use of metal components or complex assembly, suitable for various applications involving liquids.
Implementation Method 1
The base is welded to the flexible tank in a fluid tight configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A threaded flange for a flexible tank that has a base, an upstanding passage, an upstanding support assembly and a grasping member. The base has an upper surface, and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and an outer perimeter and an inner opening. The upstanding passage extends upwardly away from the upper surface of the base and has a lower end and an upper end, an inner surface and an outer surface, with the inner surface being threaded. The upstanding support assembly comprises a plurality of ribs extending outwardly from the outer surface of the upstanding passage and upwardly from the upper surface of the base. The grasping member is accessible from the lower surface of the base, wherein the grasping member is accessible by and structurally configured for coupling with a tool.