Air Spring Valve Channel Element for Leak-Resistant Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valves for air springs face challenges in production complexity, cost-effectiveness, and durability due to the reliance on weld seams for securing the sealing member, which are prone to leakage and require complex tooling for optimal flow geometries.
Innovation Solution
A valve design featuring a channel element that retains the sealing member through form-fit and/or force-fit mechanisms, eliminating the need for material bonds, allowing for simpler production of complex geometries and enabling cost-effective, durable connections using weld seams or adhesive bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the weld seam is used to produce the clamping force for the sealing member, then the sealing is achieved, but the weld seam must be cooled extensively and the production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the sealing function from the clamping function by introducing a distinct clamping element. The housing elements provide sealing through their abutment, while the clamping element independently provides clamping force to the sealing member, eliminating the need for the weld seam to perform both functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping function is extracted from the weld seam and assigned to a separate clamping element. This allows the weld seam to focus solely on creating the sealed chamber, while the clamping element is designed specifically to apply and maintain clamping force on the sealing member without requiring extensive cooling.
2Ease of manufacture
If a sliding tool is used to produce throughflow openings, then the housing elements can be connected, but complex geometries and undercuts cannot be produced
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping element is designed with the throughflow openings and complex geometries already formed during its manufacturing process, before assembly. This preliminary formation of complex features eliminates the need for costly sliding tools during the housing element connection process, while still achieving the desired flow optimization and undercut geometries.
3Ease of manufacture
If a sliding tool is used for production, then simple tools can be used, but optimized flow geometries and undercuts cannot be produced
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping element is manufactured with optimized flow geometries and undercut features already integrated into its structure before assembly. This preliminary action allows complex, flow-optimized geometries to be produced using standard manufacturing methods, eliminating the need for specialized sliding tools while achieving superior flow characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve for an air spring includes a housing member having a center axis and channel. The housing member includes first and second elements connected by a materially engaging connection in a first region and in abutment with or directly beside each other in a second region. A sealing member may be disposed in the channel and can close the channel or reduce an effective opening cross section. The valve may comprise a channel element that at least partially guides or forms the channel. The channel element may be fixed in the housing member in a form-fit and/or force-fit manner, and the channel element may retain the sealing member in a third region or the channel element may be fixed in/on the first element in a form-fit and/or force-fit manner, and the channel element may retain the sealing member in a third region.