Universal Coupler Design for Compressed Air Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing compressed air tools require separate high-pressure and low-pressure equipment for different pressure bands, leading to increased production and operational costs, as well as environmental concerns due to the need for simultaneous supply of super high-pressure compressors and tools, which is not environmentally friendly.
Innovation Solution
A compressed air taking out apparatus with distinct couplers and plugs for high-pressure and low-pressure connections, where the high-pressure plug can connect to both couplers, but the low-pressure plug can only connect to the low-pressure coupler, allowing for gradual adaptation to higher pressures without requiring new equipment for all tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate high-pressure and low-pressure equipment are used for different pressure bands, then safety and reliability are improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The high-pressure coupler is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate both high-pressure plugs and low-pressure plugs. The coupler includes a valve body with a valve opening that can be closed by either type of plug, and a receiving space that can receive both high-pressure and low-pressure plugs. This multi-functionality allows a single coupler design to serve multiple pressure bands, reducing the need for completely separate equipment while maintaining safety through pressure-appropriate connections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If super high-pressure compressor and tools are supplied simultaneously to the market, then high-pressure capability is improved, but production cost and purchaser expense increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into modular components: couplers that can be used across pressure bands, and plugs that are pressure-specific. This segmentation allows manufacturers to produce a core universal coupler design that can be paired with different pressure-specific plugs. The modular approach enables phased production and market introduction, where the universal coupler can be manufactured first, followed by different plug variants for high-pressure and low-pressure applications, thereby reducing overall production costs compared to developing completely separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The high-pressure coupler merges the functionality of both high-pressure and low-pressure connections into a single device. By combining the universal receiving space and valve body design with pressure-specific plug components, the system achieves high-pressure capability while sharing common manufacturing processes and design elements with low-pressure equipment, thereby reducing production costs.
3Reliability
If low-pressure plug can connect only to low-pressure coupler, then safety is improved by preventing high-pressure air supply to low-pressure tools, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The plug and coupler designs employ asymmetric features that enable compatible connections while preventing incompatible ones. The low-pressure plug has a sealing element configuration that matches the low-pressure coupler's valve opening, while the high-pressure plug has a different sealing configuration for the high-pressure coupler. The high-pressure coupler's receiving space is designed to accept both plug types physically, but the sealing and valve closure mechanisms are asymmetric such that only the correct plug type can properly seal and operate the coupler, preventing high-pressure air supply to low-pressure tools while maintaining operational ease through intuitive connection.
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2(a)~2(c)
Figure 2(d)~2(e)
AI summary
A valve body (12) of each of low and high-pressure couplers (1,2) is urged in a close direction in to a supply side (A) of a partition (11). A stem (13) that penetrates through an opening portion and projects into the receive side (B) is connected to the valve body (12). A cylinder portion (18) is formed on the receive side (B) of the partition (11). A locking mechanism (22) is provided in a vicinity of an end portion of the cylinder portion. A movable sleeve (23) having an annular projecting portion (26) is provided on an inside of the cylinder portion. The movable sleeve (23) is urged to a lock releasing position where a lock of the locking mechanism (22) is released. Each of low and high-pressure plugs (3,4) has an annular projecting surface (34) that can engage with the annular projecting portion (26), a flange (33) that engages with an end portion of the cylinder portion (18), and an engaging portion (32) that can engage with the locking mechanism (22). A distance (a1) from the locking mechanisms (22) to an end portion of the stem (13) in the high-pressure coupler is larger than a distance (a2) in the same position of the low-pressure coupler.