A drain valve

Abstract

A drain valve for use in an aircraft cabin door area includes a valve body having a drain channel and a movement channel therethrough; a valve core located in the movement channel of the valve body, the valve core having a valve core through-hole and movable within the valve body between an open position and a closed position, wherein the drain channel and the movement channel intersect at an angle. The valve core is coupled to a sleeve piston such that the valve core moves together with the sleeve piston, the sleeve piston sealing one end of the movement channel via a sealing ring and movable relative to this end, wherein in the open position, the valve core through-hole communicates with the movement channel to allow drainage from the drain valve, and in the closed position, the valve core through-hole is misaligned with the movement channel to prevent drainage from the drain valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid discharge inside aircraft bodies, and more specifically to a drain valve for use in cabin door areas. Background Technology

[0002] Because aircraft cabin doors are located on the upper part of the fuselage's curved surface, rainwater easily drips onto the floor in the door opening area during rainy or snowy weather. This dripping makes the cabin floor slippery and needs to be drained outside the fuselage. However, aircraft must maintain pressurization and airtightness during flight, so the drainage path cannot be directly connected to the outside of the aircraft. A drain valve is required (opening to drain within a certain pressure difference range; closing when the pressure difference is high, i.e., when the flight altitude is above the pressurization altitude). In actual use, rainwater accumulating in the cabin door opening area often contains a large amount of impurities. The drain valve frequently becomes clogged due to these impurities, causing the entire drainage path to fail.

[0003] like Figure 1 As shown, the existing drain valve 1 for drain pipes consists of parts such as inlet port 2, inlet pipe 3, valve core 4, valve seat 5, spring 6, rubber sealing ring 7, outer sealing ring 8, and outlet port 9.

[0004] like Figure 2 As shown, when the pressure difference ΔP between the inside and outside of the cabin is less than the sealing pressure threshold, the valve core 4 and the valve seat 5 are pushed to the bottom of the water inlet pipe by the spring 6. At this time, the drain valve 1 is opened, and the entire drainage device is connected to the outside. At this time, the cabin liquid in the pipeline flows into the drain valve cavity through the side hole of the water inlet port 2 (as shown by the arrow in the figure), and flows out of the drain valve 1 through the gap between the valve seat and the water outlet port 9.

[0005] like Figure 3 As shown, when the pressure difference ΔP between the inside and outside of the cabin is greater than the sealing pressure threshold, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin will press the valve core 5 and the rubber sealing ring 7 against the bottom of the water outlet port 9. At this time, the drain valve 1 is closed, and the entire drainage device is isolated from the outside.

[0006] The above-mentioned drain valve has the following problems:

[0007] 1) When the cabin is not pressurized, the drainage path of the drain valve is tortuous. At the inlet pipe, the water needs to flow into the drain valve cavity through four small holes on the side wall, and then flow out through the gap between the valve core and the bottom of the outlet. If the holes on the side wall of the inlet are too small, impurities in the water can easily clog the small holes on the side wall of the inlet, causing the valve to become blocked and unable to drain.

[0008] 2) The valve core control spring is always in the flow path of the discharged sewage, which can easily cause the spring to corrode and fail.

[0009] Therefore, it is desirable to design a drain valve for the aircraft cabin door area to solve at least one of the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0010] To overcome the problem of impurity clogging in existing drain valves, this invention designs a drain valve for aircraft cabin door areas. This drain valve redesigns the valve core and body, increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the original drain passage while simplifying the complex liquid flow path, making the flow more direct. Furthermore, the spring is moved from the drain path to the side cavity of the drain valve, separating it from the drain path, thereby reducing the probability of spring failure.

[0011] Specifically, the drain valve includes a valve body having a drain channel and a movement channel passing through it; and a valve core located in the movement channel of the valve body, the valve core having a valve core through-hole and being movable within the valve body between an open position and a closed position, wherein the drain channel and the movement channel intersect at an angle, most preferably, the drain channel is orthogonal to the movement channel. The valve core is connected to a sleeve piston so that the valve core moves together with the sleeve piston, the sleeve piston sealing a first end of the movement channel via a sealing ring and being movable relative to the first end, wherein, in the open position, the valve core through-hole communicates with the movement channel to allow drainage from the drain valve, and in the closed position, the valve core through-hole is misaligned with the movement channel to prevent drainage from the drain valve.

[0012] Furthermore, to ensure sealing, the drain valve includes a first valve plate and a second valve plate. The first valve plate is fixed to the drain channel along the drain direction of the drain valve, and the second valve plate is embedded in the valve core, so that the first valve plate and the second valve plate fit together. The first valve plate has a first opening that is in fluid communication with the drain channel, and the second valve plate has a second opening that is aligned with the through hole of the valve core. In this way, in the open position, the first opening and the second opening are aligned, and in the closed position, the first opening and the second opening are misaligned.

[0013] Preferably, the first valve plate and the second valve plate are made of ceramic material.

[0014] Preferably, the sleeve piston is threadedly connected to the valve core to ensure that the sleeve piston and the valve core move together.

[0015] In one embodiment, the drain valve further includes an end cap that seals a second end of the movement channel via a sealing gasket.

[0016] Furthermore, the drain valve also includes a spring disposed between the valve core and the end cap to force the valve core to remain in the open position.

[0017] Preferably, the valve body also includes a guide groove, which is located at the lower part of the movement channel, so that the internal pressure of the drain valve is the same as the external pressure of the cabin.

[0018] Additional features and advantages of the drain valve described herein will be set forth in the detailed description below, and will be recognized by those skilled in the art either by the following description or by practice of the embodiments described herein, including the detailed description below and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] With reference to the above objectives, the technical features of the present invention are clearly described in the following claims, and its advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention by way of example, without limiting the scope of the inventive concept.

[0020] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a prior art drain valve is shown;

[0021] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a prior art drain valve is shown when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin is less than the closure pressure threshold.

[0022] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a prior art drain valve is shown when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin exceeds the closure pressure threshold.

[0023] Figure 4 A perspective view of a drain valve according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0024] Figure 5 An embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 4 An exploded view of the drain valve;

[0025] Figure 6 An embodiment of the present invention is shown when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin is less than the closure pressure threshold. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the drain valve; and

[0026] Figure 7 This illustrates an embodiment of the invention where the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin exceeds a sealing pressure threshold. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the drain valve.

[0027] Figure Labels

[0028] 1. Drain valve

[0029] 1' Drain valve

[0030] 2. Water inlet port

[0031] 3. Water inlet pipe

[0032] 4 Valve core

[0033] 5 Valve seat

[0034] 6 springs

[0035] 7. Rubber sealing ring

[0036] 8. Outer sealing ring

[0037] 9. Water outlet port

[0038] 10 Valve body

[0039] 11 Drainage Channel

[0040] 111 Water Inlet Port

[0041] 112 Water outlet port

[0042] 12 movement channels

[0043] 121 First End

[0044] 122 Second End

[0045] 13. Conductive slots

[0046] 20 Valve Core

[0047] 21 Valve core through hole

[0048] 22 Grooves

[0049] 30 Sleeve Piston

[0050] 40 sealing ring

[0051] 50 First valve plate

[0052] 51 First Opening

[0053] 60 Second valve plate

[0054] 61 Second opening

[0055] 62 Upper surface

[0056] 70 End Cap

[0057] 80 sealing gasket

[0058] 90 spring Detailed Implementation

[0059] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so as to better understand the purpose, features and advantages of the present invention.

[0060] In this article, "motion channel" refers to the channel through which the valve core moves.

[0061] In this article, "open position" refers to the position where the valve spool extends outwards to its maximum extent along the movement channel toward the first end of the movement channel. In other words, in this position, the valve spool is most partially outside the valve body.

[0062] In this article, "closed position" refers to the position where the valve spool is fully retracted along the movement channel toward the second end of the movement channel. In other words, in this position, the portion of the valve spool outside the valve body is minimal.

[0063] The directions “up,” “down,” “left,” and “right” used herein are defined according to a sectional view of an embodiment of the drain valve described below; that is, these directions are based on… Figure 6-7 The direction shown is used to define it.

[0064] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples, but this should not be construed as limiting the invention in any way.

[0065] Figure 4 An overall view of a preferred drain valve 1' according to the present invention is shown. Figure 5 An exploded view of drain valve 1' is shown, and Figure 6-7 The diagram shows cross-sectional views of the drain valve 1' in the open and closed positions, respectively.

[0066] As shown in the figure, the drain valve 1' includes a valve body 10 and a valve core 20. The valve body 10 has a drain channel 11 and a movement channel 12 passing through it. The drain channel 11 is used to drain the liquid inside the machine body (in... Figure 6 (As shown in the diagram, discharge is from top to bottom). See details. Figure 6-7 The drainage channel 11 includes an inlet port 111 and an outlet port 112. The inlet port 111 is connected to a drain pipe on the cabin floor, and the outlet port 112 is connected via a pipe to a drain outlet on the nearby skin. Both the inlet port 111 and the outlet port 112 are flared to facilitate the intake and release of liquid. The drainage channel 11 and the movement channel 12 are configured to intersect at an angle, and preferably, the drainage channel 11 is orthogonal to the movement channel 12.

[0067] Continue to refer to Figure 6-7 The valve core 20 is located in the movement channel 12 of the valve body 10. The valve core 20 has a valve core through hole 21 and can move between the open and closed positions within the valve body 10. When the valve core 20 moves to such a position... Figure 6 When the valve core 20 is in the open position as shown, the valve core through hole 21 communicates with the movement channel 12 to allow drainage from the drain valve 1', and when the valve core 20 moves to the position shown... Figure 7 When in the closed position as shown, the valve core through hole 21 is misaligned with the movement channel 12 to prevent the drain valve 1' from draining.

[0068] In the embodiments described herein, the valve core 20 is coupled to the sleeve piston 30 so that the valve core 20 and the sleeve piston 30 move together. Preferably, the sleeve piston 30 and the valve core 20 are threadedly connected to ensure their coordinated movement. The sleeve piston 30 seals the first end 121 of the movement channel 12 via a sealing ring 40 and is movable relative to the first end 121.

[0069] In this embodiment, the sealing ring 40 is disposed around the outer periphery of the first end 121, and the sleeve piston 30 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first end 121. However, it should be understood that the sealing ring 40 may also be disposed around the inner periphery of the first end 121, and the piston may be inserted into the first end of the movement channel 12, so that the piston is sealed to the first end 121 via the sealing ring, and can move together with the valve core 20 within the movement channel 12.

[0070] To ensure the sealing of the drain valve 1', the drain valve 1' includes a first valve plate 50 and a second valve plate 60. The first valve plate 50 is fixed to the drain channel 11 along the drain direction of the drain valve 1', and the second valve plate 60 is embedded in the valve core 20, specifically, the second valve plate 60 is embedded in the groove 22 of the valve core 20, so that the first valve plate 50 and the second valve plate 60 are in close contact with each other. The first valve plate 50 and the drain channel 11, and the second valve plate 60 and the groove 22, are both bonded using sealant to ensure sealing. The first valve plate 50 has a first opening 51, which is in fluid communication with the water inlet port 11, and the second valve plate 60 has a second opening 61, which is aligned with the valve core through hole 21. Preferably, the first valve plate 50 and the second valve plate 60 are made of ceramic material.

[0071] Continue to refer to Figure 5-7 The drain valve 1' also includes an end cap 70, which seals the second end 122 of the movement channel 12 via a sealing washer 80. Specifically, the end cap 70 is a threaded end cap, which is threadedly connected to the second end 122. In this embodiment, the end cap 70 has a female thread, and the second end 122 has a male thread. However, it is conceivable that in other embodiments, the end cap 70 has a male thread, and the second end 122 has a female thread.

[0072] Furthermore, the drain valve 1' also includes a spring 90 for differential pressure actuation, which is disposed between the valve core 20 and the end cap 70 to keep the valve core 20 in the open position when the cabin is not pressurized.

[0073] When the cabin is not pressurized, the pressure difference ΔP between the inside and outside of the cabin is less than the closing pressure threshold. The spring pushes the valve core 20 and the second valve plate 60 to the open position. At this time, the drain valve 1' opens, and the liquid accumulated in the cabin can be drained to the outside of the cabin through the drain valve 1'.

[0074] When the cabin is pressurized, the pressure difference ΔP between the inside and outside of the cabin is greater than the sealing pressure threshold. The pressure difference pushes the sleeve piston 30 to move inward, causing the valve core through hole of the second valve plate 60 and valve core 20 to be misaligned with the water inlet port (11) and the first valve plate 50. As a result, the upper surface 61 of the second valve plate 60 seals the drainage channel 11 of the drain valve, thereby ensuring the airtightness of the cabin.

[0075] Preferably, the valve body further includes a guide groove 13, which is opened in the lower part of the movement channel 12 to connect the cavity of the drain valve 1' below the first valve plate 50 with the water outlet port 112, so that the internal pressure of the drain valve 1' is the same as the external pressure of the cabin.

[0076] Compared to the original drain valves, which had a high failure rate due to blockages caused by impurities in the accumulated water, and with individual drain valves costing hundreds of dollars each, maintenance costs were very high. However, the improved drain valves using this solution have a significantly extended lifespan. Maintenance and cleaning are extremely convenient; during routine aircraft use, there is no need to specifically disassemble and clean the cabin door drainage path. Simply pouring clean water into the cabin door sump while the aircraft is grounded on the flight path is sufficient to clean the entire drainage pipe. The new solution has significantly lower maintenance costs than the original solution.

[0077] While the structure and installation method of the present invention have been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above examples are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the invention. Therefore, modifications and variations can be made to the present invention, all of which will fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drain valve for use in an aircraft cabin door area, the drain valve comprising: A valve body having a drainage channel and a movement channel passing through it; A valve core, located in the movement channel of the valve body, having a valve core through hole, and capable of moving between an open and closed position within the valve body. Its characteristic is that the drainage channel intersects the movement channel at an angle. The valve core is connected to the sleeve piston so that the valve core and the sleeve piston move together. The sleeve piston seals the first end of the movement channel via a sealing ring and is movable relative to the first end. In the open position, the valve core through-hole communicates with the movement channel to allow the drain valve to drain water. In the closed position, the valve core through-hole is misaligned with the movement channel to prevent the drain valve from draining water. The drain valve includes a first valve plate and a second valve plate. The first valve plate is fixed to the drain channel along the drain direction of the drain valve, and the second valve plate is embedded in the valve core, so that the first valve plate and the second valve plate fit together.

2. The drain valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first valve plate has a first opening that is in fluid communication with the drain channel, and the second valve plate has a second opening that is aligned with the valve core through hole. In the open position, the first opening is aligned with the second opening, and in the closed position, the first opening is misaligned with the second opening.

3. The drain valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drainage channel is orthogonal to the movement channel.

4. The drain valve as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first valve plate and the second valve plate are made of ceramic material.

5. The drain valve as described in claim 2, characterized in that... The sleeve piston is threadedly connected to the valve core.

6. The drain valve as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes an end cap that seals the second end of the motion channel via a sealing gasket.

7. The drain valve as described in claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a spring disposed between the valve core and the end cap to keep the valve core in the open position.

8. The drain valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body also includes a guide groove, which is formed in the lower part of the motion channel.

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