Underwater Pipe Connector with Segmented Clamp Seats

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional underwater pipe assemblies experience leakage during seawater pumping due to excessive fastening force causing clamp plates to deviate, leading to poor connecting efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The underwater pipe assembly features a connector apparatus with strategically positioned clamp seats, fasteners, and connecting fasteners that securely interconnect annular collars and flanges, preventing deviation and ensuring stable clamping of pipes, even under excessive fastening force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If excessive fastening force is applied to secure the clamp plates, then the connecting strength is improved, but the clamp plates deviate causing poor connecting effect and leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnecting strengthVSAvoidconnecting effect

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connector apparatus is divided into multiple clamp seats (first clamp seats and second clamp seats) that are angularly spaced apart around the abutted flanges. Each clamp seat independently clamps the flanges, distributing the fastening force across multiple locations rather than concentrating it in a single clamp plate, thereby preventing deviation while maintaining connecting strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each clamp seat is designed with specific structural features including abutment plates that abut against the outer circumferential surfaces of collars and connecting plates that abut against end surfaces of flanges. This localized structural design ensures that fastening force is applied at optimal locations, improving clamping effectiveness while preventing unwanted deviation of the clamp components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If conventional clamp plates with I-cross section are used, then the structure is simple, but excessive fastening force causes deviation and poor connecting effect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidconnecting effect

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The conventional single clamp plate structure is segmented into multiple clamp seats arranged angularly around the pipe connection. Each clamp seat is a simplified version of the original design, but collectively they provide distributed clamping that prevents the deviation problems inherent in single-point fastening while maintaining overall structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple clamp seats are merged into a single connector apparatus that functions as an integrated system. The first and second clamp seats work together with their respective fasteners to provide combined clamping action on the abutted flanges, achieving reliable connection without the deviation issues of individual clamp plates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9915377B2Underwater pipe assembly and method of assembling underwater pipes

Publication Date: 2018.03.13 LARSEN SA

AI summary

An underwater pipe assembly includes a first pipe having a first collar and a first flange, a second pipe having a second collar and a second flange, and a connector apparatus including at least two first clamp seats, at least two first fasteners, at least two second clamp seats, at least two second fasteners. The first clamp seats are interconnected by the first fasteners to surround a junction of the first collar and the first flange. The second clamp seats are interconnected by the second fasteners to surround a junction of the second collar and the second flange. A plurality of connecting fasteners interconnect the first and second clamp seats, thereby clamping the first and second flanges between the first and second clamp seats.