Two-Stage Dry Break Coupling with Detent and Thread Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry break quick connect/disconnect couplings for electronic devices face challenges in efficiently managing varying heat loads across racks in data centers, requiring adaptable fluid flow management without damaging components.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage coupling system featuring female and male couplers with detents and threads, where a release sleeve facilitates fluid flow by moving valves to an open position, reducing engagement force and preventing contact between detents and threads, utilizing a resilient member and high lubricity materials for secure and low-friction operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If detents and threads are integrated in the same component, then structural simplicity is improved, but component damage risk increases due to contact between detents and threads during engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling structure is divided into two separate components: a first coupling component containing detents and a second coupling component containing threads. This segmentation prevents detents and threads from contacting each other during engagement, eliminating the risk of component damage while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If high engagement force is used to secure the coupling, then connection reliability is improved, but insertion difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detents engage with the second coupling component in a preliminary action before the threads are fully engaged. This preliminary engagement guides the coupling components into proper alignment, allowing the threads to engage smoothly with reduced insertion force while maintaining connection reliability.
3Productivity
If quick connect/disconnect functionality is implemented, then operational speed is improved, but fluid leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
A valve is activated in preliminary action before the quick connect/disconnect operation to close the fluid passage. This ensures that when the coupling components are rapidly engaged or disengaged, the fluid is already sealed, preventing leakage while maintaining quick operational capability.
4Volume of moving object
If detents are positioned to engage threads, then structural compactness is improved, but detent and thread damage occurs due to contact
Solution Approach 1:
By separating detents and threads into different coupling components, the design maintains compact overall volume while preventing direct contact between detents and threads. The detents engage with a separate surface on the second coupling component, preserving component integrity.
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 enables efficient fluid flow management with reduced insertion force and torsional friction, preventing damage to components while providing a compact, safe, and tool-free connection suitable for high-pressure applications in data centers.
Implementation Method 1
The female coupler further includes a resilient member that biases the release sleeve in the first position
Implementation Method 2
The retainer is a high lubricity polytetrafluoroethylene retaining ring
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling including female and male couplers configured to be coupled by first and second stage connections. In the first stage connection, a plurality of detents in the female coupler are urged into a detent recess in the male coupler to coupled the female and male couplers. To make the second stage connection after the first stage connection has been made, threads on the male coupler are mated with threads on a release sleeve, which causes valves disposed in the female and male couplers to move to an open position to allow fluid flow through the coupling. In this way, reduced force is employed to engage the female and male couplers while avoiding contact between the detents and the threads on the male coupler, thereby preventing the detents and threads on the male coupler from damaging one another.