Universal Attachment Flange for Tank Car Gas Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the railroad and trucking industries, equipment used for unloading pressurized gas from tank cars and trailers often faces challenges due to varying connection arrangements, requiring a universal attachment solution that can accommodate different bolt patterns to ensure secure and leak-proof connections.
Innovation Solution
A universal attachment flange with a customizable hole pattern, featuring a combination of elongated and circular holes aligned with concentric bolt circles of different diameters, allowing secure attachment to various tank car configurations, and optionally including a central threaded hole for hose connection, with a gasket for sealing to prevent leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed bolt pattern is used on the attachment flange, then the connection is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot accommodate different manufacturer-specific connection arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment flange is designed with multiple hole patterns (first, second, and third patterns) that can accommodate different manufacturer-specific connection arrangements. This universal design allows a single flange component to interface with various tank car and trailer configurations, eliminating the need for multiple specialized flanges while maintaining adaptability across different connection standards
Solution Approach 2:
The flange hole pattern is segmented into multiple distinct patterns, each designed to match specific manufacturer requirements. By dividing the overall hole pattern into separate configurable patterns, the flange can be selectively configured to match different connection arrangements without requiring a completely different flange design for each manufacturer
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple hole patterns are provided on the flange, then adaptability to different connection arrangements is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple hole patterns that would traditionally require separate flange components are merged into a single integrated flange design. This consolidation allows all hole patterns to be manufactured as one piece, reducing the total number of parts, simplifying inventory management, and eliminating the need for multiple manufacturing processes while maintaining compatibility with various tank car configurations
3Adaptability or versatility
If a universal attachment flange is designed to accommodate various bolt patterns, then operational flexibility is enhanced, but the risk of connection errors increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each hole pattern on the flange is locally optimized to match specific manufacturer connection arrangements. The first hole pattern is configured for a first manufacturer's specifications, the second pattern for a second manufacturer's specifications, and so on. This local customization within the overall universal design ensures that each connection interface is precisely matched to its intended application, reducing the risk of connection errors while maintaining operational flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
A universal attachment flange to connect equipment utilized to perform a task to various connection arrangements. A universal attachment flange is provided with a plurality of hole patterns to permit a bolted attachment of the flange to other devices that present varying patterns of bolt receiving holes. The universal attachment flange is capable of connection to a variety of four (4) hole patterns and at least one three (3) hole pattern. In one form the universal attachment flange includes a through hole threaded to receive a connection fitting.