Vehicular Hose Connector One-Touch Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional connectors for vehicular washer fluid hoses are integral, making it difficult to easily separate and reassemble the hoses for maintenance or removal of foreign matter, leading to issues with recoupling and sealing.

Innovation Solution

A connector design featuring a separable sleeve and housing with an O-ring for airtightness, a locker with elastic pieces for easy assembly and disassembly, and guide protrusions to prevent misalignment, allowing for one-touch separation and connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the connector is made as an integral body for secure connection, then the connection reliability is improved, but the ease of separation and reassembly deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidease of separation and reassembly
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connector is divided into two separate components: a housing and a sleeve. The housing contains the O-ring for sealing, while the sleeve has a stopper that engages with the housing. This segmentation allows the connector to be easily assembled by inserting the sleeve into the housing and disassembled by pulling the sleeve out, while maintaining reliable connection during use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of repair

If the connector is made separable for easy maintenance, then the ease of repair is improved, but the connection reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of maintenanceVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeve is inserted into the housing, forming a nested structure. The O-ring in the housing provides sealing around the sleeve, ensuring reliable connection. The stopper on the sleeve engages with the housing to prevent accidental separation. This nested design allows easy maintenance through simple insertion and removal while maintaining connection reliability during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If the connector uses simple insertion for easy assembly, then the ease of operation is improved, but the sealing performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidsealing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An O-ring is introduced as an intermediary sealing element in the housing. This O-ring provides the necessary sealing performance between the sleeve and housing, while the simple insertion of the sleeve into the housing maintains ease of assembly. The O-ring mediates between the simple mechanical insertion and the requirement for reliable sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables easy and convenient assembly and disassembly of the connector, maintaining a perfect coupling state while preventing leakage, with the elastic pieces and guide protrusions ensuring secure and efficient hose connection and disconnection.

Implementation Method 1

an O-ring (30) installed between the sleeve and housing so as to maintain airtightness therebetween

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

has an elastic piece bending inwards so as to be positioned within the through hole of the housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3236128B1Connector for vehicular hose connection
Publication Date: 2019.09.18 NIFCO KOREA INC
  • EP3236128B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3236128B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3236128B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6a

AI summary

The present invention relates to a connector for vehicular hose connection, which connects hoses installed inside the engine compartment of a vehicle so as to carry a washer fluid and is dividedly formed so as to be separated in a one-touch manner as necessary. To this end, the present invention comprises: a sleeve (10) having, at one end, a nipple (11), to which a hose (12) is coupled, and a protruding annular stopper (14) formed in the middle; a housing (20), in which the sleeve is accommodated, and which has a nipple (21) coupled to another hose (13) at one end of the housing, a through hole (22) correspondingly formed in the outer circumferential surface of the housing, an enlarged protrusion (23) on the outer circumferential surface adjacent to the through hole, and a flange (24) formed on the opposite side of the nipple (21); an O-ring (30) installed between the sleeve and housing so as to maintain airtightness therebetween; and a locker (40), which is rotatably coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the housing, has an elastic piece (41) bending inwards so as to be positioned within the through hole of the housing and having a stopper protrusion (42) for supporting one end of the protruding annular stopper (14) formed on the sleeve, and integrates the sleeve (10) and housing (20).