Adjustable Injection Mould Cavity for Variable Product Shapes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flow limiters fail to maintain a consistent and accurate flow rate across varying pressures, leading to inefficiencies in water usage and increased costs in managing peak demands, particularly in showers and industrial applications.

Innovation Solution

A device comprising a housing with a front and rear chamber, a disc-shaped partition with multiple openings, and a flow limiting element featuring a resilient valve element that maintains a constant flow rate by adjusting to pressure changes, ensuring precise control over fluid flow through a unique valve seat design and cam parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional flow limiters are used, then they can limit flow rate, but they fail to maintain consistent and accurate flow rate across varying pressures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow rate consistencyVSAvoidflow rate accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The flow limiter employs a resilient valve element that dynamically adjusts its position in response to pressure changes, allowing the device to maintain accurate and consistent flow rates across varying pressure conditions. The resilient nature of the valve element enables real-time adaptation to pressure fluctuations without requiring complex mechanical adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical state or properties of the valve element by making it resilient rather than rigid. This parameter change allows the valve to flex and adapt to different pressure conditions, maintaining flow rate accuracy and consistency that would be impossible with conventional rigid valve designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If flow limiters are installed at many locations to determine peak load, then water usage can be accurately determined, but installation and management costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepeak load determinationVSAvoidsystem management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flow limiter is designed to autonomously determine and report peak load information without requiring complex external monitoring systems. The device's internal resilient valve mechanism automatically tracks pressure and flow variations, enabling accurate peak load determination while minimizing the need for additional management infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If resilient valve elements are used to maintain constant flow rate, then flow accuracy improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow rate accuracyVSAvoidvalve mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes a resilient valve element that functions as a flexible component to maintain constant flow rate. This flexible element automatically adjusts to pressure changes without requiring complex mechanical linkages or control systems, achieving high flow rate accuracy while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

The solution provides a precise and consistent flow rate across a wide range of pressures, reducing energy consumption and costs by accurately determining peak water usage, suitable for various applications including showers and industrial settings.

Implementation Method 1

a resilient plate-like valve element which is mounted in the housing and which can substantially close the throughflow opening by resilient movement in the direction of a valve seat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3812518A1Mould and method for producing one or more injection moulded products
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 DSOP BV
  • EP3812518A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3812518A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3812518A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Mould (118) for producing one or more injection-moulded products (128-131), wherein said mould (118) comprises at least one mould cavity for forming therein an injection-moulded product (128-131), wherein the mould (118) comprises a plurality of movable parts (123-126) which are movable and adjustable within said mould cavity such that the size and/or shape of said mould cavity is adjustable, wherein the movable parts (123-126) of the mould (118) are adjustable from the outer side of the mould (118).