Air Conditioning Recharging Machine With Plug-Free Valve Distributor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning recharging machines face safety risks due to the use of pressure plugs, which can uncouple at high refrigerant fluid pressures, particularly when handling carbon dioxide at pressures up to 170 bar, leading to potential hazards for operators.
Innovation Solution
The design replaces pressure plugs with a valve distributor body featuring straight through-ducts and solenoid valves integrated directly into a metal monobloc, allowing for direct closure of ducts by solenoid valves, eliminating the need for pressure plugs and enhancing safety, while also reducing the machine's dimensions and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pressure plugs are used to seal the ends of through-ducts in the valve distributor body, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but safety deteriorates due to the risk of uncoupling at high pressures (up to 170 bar)
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the pressure plugs from the system entirely. Instead of using removable pressure plugs to seal the ends of through-ducts, the patent integrates solenoid valves directly into the valve distributor body that provide both sealing and control functions, thereby removing the safety hazard of plug uncoupling while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the sealing function previously performed by pressure plugs with the control function of solenoid valves. The solenoid valves are integrated directly into the valve distributor body, combining what were previously separate components (plugs and valves) into a unified structure that eliminates the need for removable plugs
2Volume of moving object
If solenoid valves are arranged on a same side support wall of the valve distributor body, then the structure is more compact, but the hydraulic circuit complexity increases due to additional branches and ducts
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the spatial arrangement of solenoid valves from a single-side configuration to an opposite-sides configuration on the valve distributor body. This dimensional reorganization allows for more direct hydraulic pathways between opposing valves, reducing the number of intermediate branches and ducts required in the hydraulic circuit
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 increases safety by eliminating the risk of pressure plug uncoupling, reduces the machine's size, and allows for efficient operation with high-pressure refrigerants like carbon dioxide, enhancing the overall safety and efficiency of air conditioning system maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a series of solenoid valves, which are arranged along the branches/ducts so as to close/open the branches/ducts based on relative electric signals
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An air conditioning recharging machine (1) comprising a pair of flexible hoses (8) (9) connected to said air-conditioning system (2), a recharging assembly (10) to supply a refrigerant fluid to the air-conditioning system (2) through said flexible hoses (8) (9); a discharging assembly (60) to discharge the refrigerant fluid from the air-conditioning system (2), and a valve distributor body (15), which is provided with a series of inlets/outlets hydraulically connected to the flexible hoses (8) (9), to the recharging assembly (10) and to the discharging assembly (60). The valve distributor body (15) comprises a monobloc (16) made of rigid material which is provided with straight inner through-ducts (20), each of which extends in the monobloc (16) so as to have the two axial ends which are arranged on two respective faces (16a) of said monobloc (16) opposite one to the other, and are each closed by a respective solenoid valve (19) coupled to the face (16a) itself.