Vacuum-Sealed Access Plug for Flange Passages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing access systems for components, such as ducts, often rely on elastomeric gaskets for sealing, which may not comply with certain regulatory standards for containment, necessitating an alternative sealing method.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum-sealed access system comprising a plug with a sidewall and overhang that surrounds a flange, movable between unsealed and sealed positions using fasteners and a vacuum source, eliminating the need for elastomeric gaskets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an elastomeric gasket is used to seal the passage, then the sealing function is achieved, but the system does not comply with certain regulatory standards for containment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the elastomeric gasket from the sealing system, replacing it with a vacuum-sealed plug system that achieves containment compliance without using elastomeric materials. The plug system with overhang and vacuum mechanism provides the necessary sealing function while meeting regulatory standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical elastomeric gasket sealing system with a vacuum-based sealing system. The vacuum force acts on the plug to maintain the sealed position, substituting the mechanical deformation of an elastomeric gasket with a vacuum pressure differential that holds the plug against the passage opening.
2Reliability
If a vacuum-sealed plug system is used instead of an elastomeric gasket, then regulatory compliance for containment is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into distinct functional components: the plug with overhang structure, the vacuum source, and the passage opening. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the system easier to manufacture and maintain while achieving the required containment compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug incorporates an overhang structure that acts as a flexible barrier, creating a seal through its geometric configuration rather than relying on elastomeric materials. The overhang design provides the necessary flexibility to maintain sealing while using rigid or semi-rigid materials that meet containment standards.
3Ease of repair
If the plug is made movable between unsealed and sealed positions, then ease of maintenance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is designed as a dynamic component that can move between sealed and unsealed positions. This dynamic capability allows maintenance personnel to access components within the passage when needed while maintaining containment during normal operation. The movement is controlled through the vacuum mechanism that holds the plug in the sealed position during operation.
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 system provides a reliable and regulatory-compliant sealing solution for access passages without using elastomeric gaskets, ensuring effective containment and ease of maintenance while adhering to containment standards.
Implementation Method 1
The plug is movable between a first, unsealed position and a second, sealed position upon the application of a force
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum source positioned within the passage... upon the application of a force
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus are provided for an access system for a passage defined in a component. The passage is surrounded by a flange, and the access system comprises a plug adapted to be coupled to the flange of the component to seal the passage. The plug includes a sidewall and an overhang coupled to the sidewall. The overhang is configured to substantially surround at least a portion of the flange and the plug is movable between a first, unsealed position and a second, sealed position upon the application of a force.