Reusable Threaded Hose Clamp for Leak-Free Barb Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hose clamps require significant force for assembly and are non-reusable, leading to waste and downtime due to the impossibility of disassembly without destruction.
Innovation Solution
A clamping device comprising a flexible member with compressible finger members and a compression member that threads onto the flexible member, allowing for secure and leak-free fluid flow connections that can be easily disassembled and reused.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hose clamps use compressive forces to secure tubing, then reliable connection is achieved, but assembly requires significant force and disassembly is impossible without destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp device is divided into three separable components: a flexible member with fingers, a barb fitting, and a compression member. This segmentation allows the components to be assembled and disassembled independently, enabling easy reconfiguration while maintaining connection reliability when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible member incorporates flexible fingers that can dynamically adjust and compress around the barb fitting. This dynamic flexibility allows the clamp to maintain reliable connection through compression while enabling easy assembly and disassembly by simply compressing the fingers together.
2Reliability
If conventional hose clamps are designed for secure compression, then leak-free connection is achieved, but components cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the clamp into distinct reusable components (flexible member, barb fitting, compression member), the design enables complete disassembly and reuse of all parts, eliminating waste and downtime associated with discarded clamps.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention recovers all components for reuse rather than discarding them. The flexible member, barb fitting, and compression member can be disassembled, inspected, and reused multiple times, preventing waste and reducing operational downtime.
3Force
If manual or pneumatic tools are used for assembly, then sufficient compression force is achieved, but assembly time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible fingers are designed to be compressible between a first position and a second position, allowing manual compression without requiring complex pneumatic tools. The dynamic flexibility of the fingers enables sufficient compression force to be achieved through simple manual manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp mechanism changes its compression parameter from requiring high force (conventional clamps) to requiring minimal force (flexible fingers). By changing the physical state and flexibility parameters of the clamping elements, sufficient compression is achieved without complex assembly tools.
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 device provides a reliable, leak-free connection that can be easily assembled and disassembled without destruction, reducing waste and downtime, and allowing for reusability of components.
Implementation Method 1
the compression member compresses the finger member against the barb member
Implementation Method 2
The collar causes the flexible fingers to compress around the tube, pushing firmly onto the outside diameter of the hose barb
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A clamp device for a barb member having a barbed region for disposing within an end of a flexible tube having an outer surface. The clamp device includes a flexible member including a body having a plurality of finger members compressible between a first resting position and a second clamping position; at least one of the flexible finger members having a radially inwardly extending tooth; the body having a through bore and an outer surface comprising threads; the flexible member being slidable over the barbed region and the outer surface of the flexible tube; a compression member having a body having a through bore and an inner surface including threads; the compression member being slidable over the flexible member; wherein upon threadingly engaging the compression member with the flexible member, the compression member compresses the finger member against the barb member.