Adjustable Diverter Valve Actuator With Tool-Free Cam Setting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve actuators for diverter valves in spa and pool systems lack sufficient adjustability, often requiring specialized tools and offering only limited, step-wise adjustment of valve settings.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable valve actuator with removable components that can be adjusted manually without specialized tools, featuring cam wheels and microswitches that allow for near-infinite adjustment of valve settings by rotating the valve control shaft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional valve actuators are used with fixed internal components, then the device structure is simple and reliable, but the adjustability of valve settings is limited and requires specialized tools
Solution Approach 1:
The valve actuator is divided into modular components including removable cam wheels, adjustable microswitches, and separable housing sections. This segmentation allows individual components to be adjusted or replaced without affecting the entire device, enabling enhanced adaptability while maintaining structural simplicity through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam wheels are designed to be rotatable and repositionable on the valve control shaft, allowing the valve settings to be dynamically adjusted to different positions. The microswitches can be repositioned along the cam wheel circumference to create custom stop positions. This dynamic adjustability provides near-infinite valve setting options without requiring complex electronic controls.
2Ease of operation
If valve actuators require specialized tools for adjustment, then the device structure can be more precise and reliable, but the ease of operation and maintenance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cam wheels are designed to be manually adjustable by the end user without requiring specialized tools. The removable design and direct manual manipulation capability allow users to perform maintenance and adjustments themselves, eliminating the need for service technicians with specialized equipment while maintaining reliable adjustment precision through the mechanical design of the cam-wheel-microswitch system.
3Manufacturing precision
If valve actuators offer only step-wise adjustment, then the device structure is simpler, but the manufacturing precision and control flexibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cam wheels can be rotated to any angular position and the microswitches can be positioned at any location around the cam wheel circumference, providing continuous rather than discrete adjustment options. This dynamic positioning capability enables near-infinite valve setting precision without requiring complex electronic controls or multiple fixed-position components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows continuous variation of the valve stop positions by changing the angular position of the cam wheels and the location of microswitch actuation. This parameter change approach enables precise control of valve opening angles and flow rates without being constrained to predetermined step-wise settings, achieving high manufacturing precision through adjustable mechanical parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve actuator may include a valve control shaft extending at least partially through a housing of the valve actuator, wherein the valve control shaft is configured for controlling a valve position of a diverter valve. A first cam wheel may be included, where the first am wheel at least partially surrounds the valve control shaft. A first cam may be fixed to the first cam wheel, and a first microswitch may have an actuator located in a rotational path of the first cam. The valve actuator may also include a second cam wheel at least partially surrounding the valve control shaft, where a second cam is fixed to the second cam wheel, and where a second microswitch has an actuator located in a rotational path of the second cam.