Accumulator Self-Sealing Member Overhanging Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing accumulators face challenges in reducing machining man-hours and preventing damage to self-sealing members, leading to decreased durability and reliability, especially in non-normal operations where excessive temperature increases pressure in the air chamber.
Innovation Solution
An accumulator design featuring a self-sealing member with an overhanging portion that forms a gap between the seal face and pressure fluid inflow port, allowing pressure release through this gap when the temperature exceeds normal levels, thereby preventing damage to the resilient member and ensuring stable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a groove is formed on the surface of the base material of the self-sealing member to enable pressure release, then the air chamber pressure can be released, but the resilient member is gradually damaged affecting sealing performance and durability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pressure release function from the self-sealing member by providing a separate discharge hole in the casing. The self-sealing member only performs sealing, while the casing handles pressure release through the discharge hole, eliminating the groove that caused resilient member damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the functions by separating the sealing function (performed by the self-sealing member) from the pressure release function (performed by the discharge hole in the casing). This functional segmentation prevents the resilient member from being damaged by the pressure release mechanism.
2Reliability
If the resilient member abuts onto the seal face with a groove, then pressure release is enabled, but machining complexity increases and production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pressure release function from the self-sealing member's groove structure and relocates it to a simple discharge hole in the casing. This eliminates the need for complex groove machining on the self-sealing member, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining pressure release capability.
3Reliability
If the resilient member is used to block the pressure fluid inflow port, then sealing is achieved, but the resilient member is gradually damaged reducing its service life
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pressure release function from the resilient member, allowing it to focus solely on sealing. The discharge hole in the casing handles pressure release, preventing the resilient member from being damaged by repeated pressure cycles and extending its service life.
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
This design reduces machining complexity, prevents self-sealing member damage, and ensures reliable pressure regulation in both normal and non-normal operations by quickly releasing excessive air chamber pressure through a gap formed due to the overhanging portion's melting or carbonization.
Implementation Method 1
when a temperature in the air chamber rises more excessively than in a normal operation, the overhanging portion on the resilient member transubstantiates and a gap portion is formed which leads from an outer border of the seal face to the pressure fluid inflow port
Implementation Method 2
the bellows is allowed to expand and contract, thereby balancing the pressure in the air chamber with the pressure in the fluid chamber to suppress pulsation in the fluid-pressure circuit
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
An accumulator (1) includes a bellows (5) housed to freely expand and contract in a shell(2), a port part (6) having a pressure fluid inflow port (61) formed therein, and a self-sealing member (8) arranged on a tip portion of the bellows to face the port part, in which, when a pressure in the fluid chamber (4) is lower than a predetermined pressure relative to an air chamber (3), the self-sealing member is allowed to abut onto a seal area (SA) of the port part to block the pressure fluid inflow port. The self-sealing member includes a resilient member (82) arranged on a surface of a base material part (81), and an overhanging portion (83) formed on the resilient member and allowed to abut onto the seal area for sealing. The port part includes a seal face (63a) having the seal area formed thereon, and a projecting portion (64) arranged on a region other than the seal area on the seal face.