Gas Cylinder Actuator Jacket Relief for Safe Piston Stem Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas cylinder actuators face risks of uncontrolled piston stem ejection due to overpressure, which can cause damage and injury, and existing safety devices may not ensure sufficient gas discharge to prevent such ejections effectively.
Innovation Solution
A gas cylinder actuator with a region in low relief on the inner face of the jacket, designed to interrupt the seal and allow pressurized gas escape before piston ejection, featuring recesses or a reduced cross-section portion that yields under impact, slowing down the piston and stem for safe ejection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing safety devices with predetermined breakage points are used, then the stem retention is improved, but the gas discharge speed may be insufficient to prevent uncontrolled ejection
Solution Approach 1:
The relief region is pre-formed in the jacket wall at a location that will automatically interrupt the seal when the piston moves outward during overpressure events. This preliminary structural feature ensures that gas discharge begins immediately when needed, without requiring additional breakage mechanisms or delayed response systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the safety function from complex breakage mechanisms and concentrates it in the simple relief region structure. By creating a dedicated relief feature in the jacket, the patent separates the gas discharge function from the stem retention mechanisms, allowing each to operate independently and effectively.
2Reliability
If auxiliary safety shoulders are added to retain the stem, then the structural complexity increases, but the stem retention improves
Solution Approach 1:
The relief region serves multiple functions: it acts as a normal structural feature of the jacket during operation, and simultaneously provides automatic gas discharge during overpressure events. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate safety components while maintaining stem retention capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The relief region is designed to automatically activate when needed without external control or additional components. The piston's own outward movement during overpressure directly interrupts the seal at the relief region, creating a self-regulating safety mechanism that does not require auxiliary retention structures.
3Reliability
If predetermined breakage mechanisms are implemented, then the gas discharge capability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relief region is created by modifying the geometric parameters of the jacket wall, such as creating a localized thinning or recess in the wall structure. This approach uses standard manufacturing techniques to create a functional safety feature without requiring expensive specialized components or complex assembly processes.
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
Ensures safe venting of overpressurized gas, preventing uncontrolled ejection of the piston stem and maintaining performance comparable to standard actuators, while being easy to install and manufacture at low cost.
Implementation Method 1
a region in low relief on the inner face of the jacket, designed to interrupt the seal provided selectively either by the gasket means associated with said piston or by the gasket means associated with said head portion
Data Source
AI summary
A gas cylinder actuator with a safety device for controlled ejection of the piston stem, which has, on the side of the region for fixing the head portion to the jacket, a region in low relief on the inner face of the jacket, designed to interrupt the seal provided selectively either by the gasket elements associated with the piston or by the gasket elements associated with the head portion, and normally operating against the inner face of the jacket, in case of separation of the head portion with an outward movement of the piston.