Actuator Valve Segmentation for Vibration Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing actuators for internal combustion engines face issues with jarring and vibrations due to the large mass of valve bodies, leading to imprecise control and potential damage, and require high working pressure with a high ratio to return pressure, resulting in insufficient pressure fluid evacuation and slow return of the actuator piston disc.

Innovation Solution

The actuator incorporates an electrically controlled pilot valve to manage separate control pressures for inlet and outlet valve bodies, reducing their mass and using a hydraulic circuit with a locking volume and non-return valve to maintain the actuator piston disc in its active position, allowing for precise control and reduced vibrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the valve bodies are made with relatively large mass to ensure structural strength and sealing, then the actuator can withstand high working pressures, but the valve bodies risk to rebound from their seats causing jarring and vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strength of valve bodiesVSAvoidjarring and vibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The valve body is divided into two separate components: a main valve body and a valve head. The valve head is the only part that contacts the seat, while the main valve body provides structural strength and is connected to the actuator piston disc. This segmentation allows the valve head to be lightweight for precise control without rebound, while the main valve body remains strong for withstanding high pressures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The valve head acts as an intermediary between the actuator piston disc and the seat. It transfers the actuating force from the piston disc to the seat while maintaining a lightweight structure that prevents rebound and vibrations, solving the conflict between strength and harmful vibrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Weight of moving object

If the throughput areas of the valve bodies are made small to reduce mass, then the valve bodies are lighter and less prone to rebound, but the evacuation of pressure fluid from the cylinder first portion becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass of valve bodiesVSAvoidevacuation speed of pressure fluid

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The valve body is segmented into a main valve body and a valve head, allowing the valve head to have small mass for responsive control while the main valve body can accommodate larger throughput areas for efficient pressure fluid evacuation without increasing the rebound-prone moving mass.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Speed

If high working pressure is used to achieve correct actuator function at high engine speeds, then the actuator can operate effectively up to 8-10 thousand turns per minute, but the ratio between working pressure and return pressure becomes high causing slow return of the actuator piston disc

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine speed rangeVSAvoidreturn time of actuator piston disc

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The valve body segmentation enables optimized flow paths with adequate throughput areas that reduce pressure losses during the return stroke, allowing faster evacuation of pressure fluid from the cylinder even when operating at high working pressures required for high engine speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution achieves high return pressure with a lower working to return pressure ratio, enhances throughput areas, and maintains direct correlation between pulse length and piston disc movement, reducing jarring and improving control precision.

Implementation Method 1

The actuator comprises an electrically controlled pilot valve arranged to communicate a first control pressure to the first inlet valve body via a first control pressure channel and arranged to communicate a second control pressure to the outlet valve body via a second control pressure channel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPneumatics:

Implementation Method 2

The displacement is achieved by controlling a supply of pressure fluid, such as pressurized gas/air, that acts on the actuator piston disc

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure force: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS9885261B2Actuator for axial displacement of an object

Publication Date: 2018.02.06 FREEVALVE

AI summary

Disclosed is an actuator for axial displacement of an object, including an actuator piston disc displaceable in a cylinder volume, an inlet channel, a first inlet valve body arranged in the inlet channel, a second inlet valve body operatively connected to the actuator piston disc and arranged in the inlet channel, an outlet channel and an outlet valve body arranged therein. The actuator includes an electrically controlled pilot valve communicating a first control pressure to the first inlet valve body via a first control pressure channel and communicating a second control pressure to the outlet valve body via a second control pressure channel. The pilot valve places itself in either a resting state or an active state.