Tube Stub Plug With Anti-Rotation Sealing for Leak-Resistant Manifolds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Welded tube stubs in fluid delivery systems are prone to cracks and leaks due to external forces, and machining tubes and/or tube stubs is costly, while adding external modules increases complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A universal tube stub plug with a seal port that uses a separate plug with a stub at one end and a seal at the other, featuring various anti-rotation and alignment mechanisms, allowing for secure connection to manifolds or substrates without the need for extensive machining or additional modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If welded tube stubs are used in fluid delivery systems, then connection is achieved, but the connection is prone to cracks and leaks due to external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the connection system into separate components: a tube stub and a plug that fits into a recess in the manifold. This segmentation allows the plug to bear the connection loads rather than the weld, preventing cracks and leaks while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug acts as an intermediary component between the tube stub and the manifold. It transfers and distributes external forces away from the weld joint, preventing stress concentration that would cause cracks and leaks in welded connections.
2Ease of manufacture
If extensive machining is performed on tubes and/or tube stubs to create connections, then connection is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The tube stub is inserted into a recess in the manifold, creating a nested structure. This eliminates the need for extensive external machining on the tube stub itself, as the recess provides the necessary connection interface within the manifold body.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of machining complex connection features directly onto expensive tube stubs, the invention creates a standardized recess in the manifold that receives the tube stub. This copies the connection function to the manifold rather than the tube, reducing material removal costs.
3Ease of manufacture
If external modules are bolted to the end of substrates or manifolds to create connections, then connection is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the connection function into the manifold structure itself by creating a recess that receives the tube stub. This eliminates the need for separate external connection modules, reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess in the manifold serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the tube stub, creates a sealable interface, and distributes connection loads. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external modules, reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A fluid substrate comprising a manifold including a circular opening, a tube stub plug coupled with the manifold at the circular opening, wherein an anti -rotation feature prevents the tube stub plug from rotating with respect to the manifold.