Tube Sealing Interface for Radial and Angular Offset Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tolerance stack-up issues in machine components, such as semiconductor processing tools, lead to significant radial and angular offsets between tubes, making assembly difficult and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A sealing interface with a spacer and tying elements is used to accommodate radial and angular offsets between tubes, ensuring efficient connection and maintaining fluid communication through the use of convex and concave surfaces and compressive forces applied by springs, wires, or bolts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional rigid tube connections are used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but assembly difficulty increases due to tolerance stack-up causing large offsets between tube ends
Solution Approach 1:
A compliant connector is introduced as an intermediary component between tube ends to accommodate radial and angular offsets. The connector includes a first portion that interfaces with one tube end and a second portion that interfaces with the other tube end, with a compliant body that flexes to absorb misalignment caused by tolerance stack-up, thereby enabling assembly despite precision limitations
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design allows for adjustment of geometric parameters including the angle between the first and second portions, and the distance between them. This parameter adjustability enables the connector to adapt to various offset conditions arising from manufacturing tolerances, resolving the contradiction between assembly ease and connection precision
2Manufacturing precision
If tolerance stack-up is reduced to minimize offsets, then connection precision improves, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant connector serves as a mediator that decouples the precision requirements from the assembly process. Instead of requiring high-precision tube ends, the connector absorbs the misalignment, allowing faster assembly while maintaining adequate connection precision through its compliant design
3Reliability
If rigid connectors are used to maintain precise alignment, then connection reliability improves, but adaptability to offset conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector's geometric parameters (angle between portions, distance between portions) can be adjusted to match specific offset conditions. This adaptability maintains connection reliability across varying misalignment scenarios while accommodating radial and angular offsets that rigid connectors cannot handle
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 sealing interface allows for quick and efficient assembly of tubes despite significant offsets, maintaining fluid communication and ensuring reliable connections in applications like semiconductor processing tools.
Implementation Method 1
the plurality of tying elements applying a compressive force between the first tube and the spacer, and the plurality of tying elements applying a compressive force between the second tube and the spacer
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing interface includes a first tube having an end with a convex surface and a second tube having an end with a convex surface. A spacer is disposed between the respective ends of the first and second tubes. One side of the spacer has a concave surface that substantially matches the convex surface of the end of the first tube, and another side of the spacer has a concave surface that substantially matches the convex surface of the end of the second tube. The spacer includes a through hole in fluid communication with a fluid passageway of the first tube and a fluid passageway of the second tube. Tying elements are respectively coupled to the first tube and the second tube, with the tying elements applying a compressive force between the first tube and the spacer, and applying a compressive force between the second tube and the spacer.