Tilting Collar Tube Joint for Angle-Tolerant Pipe Connections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing connection devices struggle with fault-tolerant and angle-tolerant connections to main pipes of different geometries, particularly those with non-circular cross-sections or varying wall thicknesses, leading to sealing issues and the need for multiple devices to accommodate various installation situations.

Innovation Solution

A connection device featuring a tilting collar tube with a transverse tilting axis, allowing for tilting mobility and tolerance compensation, combined with a spherical segment section for angular adjustment, and an elastic compensating collar for height variations, enabling a single device to fit various main pipe geometries and installation angles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a standard connection device is used for circular main pipes, then connection is simple and reliable, but it cannot accommodate non-circular cross-sections or varying wall thicknesses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different main pipe geometriesVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The collar tube is designed with tilting mobility around a transverse tilting axis, allowing it to dynamically adjust its orientation to accommodate non-circular main pipe cross-sections and varying wall thicknesses. This dynamic adaptation eliminates the need for multiple fixed-geometry connection devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The connection device is designed with universal adaptability to handle various main pipe geometries (circular, egg-shaped, varying wall thickness) through the tilting collar tube mechanism, making a single device type suitable for multiple application scenarios that previously required different specialized devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If the bore is drilled at an angle or non-centrally, then installation flexibility is improved, but the seal does not optimally rest against the main pipe wall

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation flexibilityVSAvoidsealing reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The collar tube's tilting mobility allows it to dynamically compensate for angular and positional deviations in the drilled bore, maintaining optimal seal contact with the main pipe wall even when the bore is not perfectly centered or perpendicular, thus preserving sealing reliability while enabling installation flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The tilting mechanism changes the orientation parameter of the collar tube to adapt to the actual bore geometry, allowing the seal to maintain optimal contact pressure and alignment with the main pipe wall despite variations in bore angle or position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple connection devices are used for different main pipe geometries, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and inventory requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage of different main pipe typesVSAvoidnumber of different devices required
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connection device achieves universal applicability across circular main pipes, egg-shaped pipes, and pipes with varying wall thicknesses through the tilting collar tube mechanism, replacing the need for multiple specialized connection device variants with a single adaptable device type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The tilting mechanism segments the rigid connection structure into movable and fixed components, allowing the collar tube to independently adjust its orientation while the base body remains stable, enabling one device to perform the functions of multiple fixed-geometry devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Stability of the object's composition

If the collar tube is rigidly fixed, then structural stability is improved, but angle tolerance and fault tolerance are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidangle tolerance and fault tolerance
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The collar tube is designed with controlled tilting mobility around a transverse axis, providing dynamic adjustment capability for angle tolerance while maintaining structural stability through the bearing section and guiding mechanisms that constrain the tilting motion within defined parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The bearing section provides localized support and guidance for the tilting collar tube, concentrating the stabilizing function in a specific region while allowing mobility elsewhere, thus achieving both structural stability and angle tolerance simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3680537B1Connection device with bending joint
Publication Date: 2022.02.09 FUNKE KUNSTSTOFFE GMBH
  • EP3680537B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3680537B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3680537B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

In a connection device (1) for connecting a main tube provided with a connecting bore to a side tube, comprising a base body (3) designed as a tube section, a first end (7) that can be inserted into the interior of the main tube, and a second end (9) that can be connected to the side tube with a connecting section, a circumferential collar (6) arranged in the region of the first end (7) that can be applied to the inside of the main tube, a spacer ring (19) surrounding the base body (3) that is axially displaceable on the base body (3), and a clamping ring (21) surrounding the base body (3) that interacts with a thread on the base body (3) such that the clamping ring (21) can be screwed against the spacer ring (19), the invention proposes that the base body (3) has a bearing section (4) on which a collar tube (10) is arranged, which has the circumferential collar (6).and essentially extends in the axial direction of the base body (3), wherein the collar tube (10) is mounted in a tilting bearing so that the tilting axis (26) extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the base body (3).