No more flex covers !!!

[emoreira]

The octo of one of my regsets is an Oceanic Alpha 7 with flex cover.
The original flex cover torn to pieces owing to age.
I replaced it with a generic flex cover. With time it also torn to pieces so I decided to 3D print a new one. The first try was with flex filament. The walls of the printed cover were too thick, so it resulted not so flexible.
I could get a Stainless steel spring from an old BCD valve and decided to 3D print a cover with a button instead of a flex cover.
The cover fits as a flex cover, but it's rigid with a spring loaded button.
The whole set has 4 printed parts, the spring and a SS M4 screw and nut.

I've 3D printed it in ABS and I tested ok with a tank. Next try will be in the pool when this pandemic allow us to return to pools.
There are still some improvements I could do, but by the time it seems to work OK.

 

[James79]

That is a work of art! I've thought of making covers based off of the old chrome Conshelf for regs with the flex covers, but you put the idea in motion and executed well. I look forward to hearing of the in water tests!

Respectfully,

James

 

[The Chairman]

Way cool! How about putting the ambient ports on the side, so you can swim into a current and not freeflow???

 

[emoreira]

The way I designed the coupling is because I could not find here stainless steel Seeger retaining rings (3). It would be a much simpler design, like the Dacor cover. However, adding a Seeger ring to a printed part could be dangerous.

A further improvement would be to hide the nut and avoid the cap. but for this I need to pause the print, add the nut and continue the print, which, in the best case, is harmless, but, you know, Murphy is always there ready to spoil a nice print.
Another improvement would be to aviod the fastening ring (18) :

but the modifications are too much, as I should add a plastic washer between the cover and the diafragm.

 

[James79]

For the center button you could just make the outer portion semi expendable.... Slightly undersized hole that the screw just self taps into.
Or do away with the screw and do similar to a g250: G250 Purge Button by James1979
Just ideas,

James

 

[emoreira]

This is why I love ScubaBoard.

For the center button you could just make the outer portion semi expendable.... Slightly undersized hole that the screw just self taps into.
Or do away with the screw and do similar to a g250: G250 Purge Button by James1979
Just ideas,

James

A nice alternative.

 

[emoreira]

The pool test finaly came after several weeks of estrict quarantine down here in Argentina. It worked as expected, great. No more flex covers !

 

[emoreira]

A friend of mine came with a Mares Rover second with the flex cover broken. He saw my post and ask if I could adapt it to the Rover.
No more words and hands to work.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

Keep this coming. I love this kind of stuff.

 

[happy-diver]

Magnificent!