Aircraft Drainage Valve Shutter Recess for Low-Pressure Checking

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing drainage valves in aircraft cells face challenges in operation verification and unblocking, especially when the differential pressure is below the given threshold, making it difficult to access and check the valve's correct operation from the inside of the cell.

Innovation Solution

A drainage valve design with a shutter having a cylindrical body and a recess at its end face, allowing for the introduction of a tool to temporarily secure and displace the shutter in two opposite directions longitudinally, along with a checking tool featuring an expandable element and control to verify and unblock the valve.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the drainage valve is positioned at a low point of the cell to discharge fluids by gravity, then the drainage function is improved, but the accessibility for checking and unblocking the valve from the inside of the cell becomes difficult or impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage functionVSAvoidaccessibility for checking and unblocking

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The shutter is provided with a recess that can receive a tool, allowing the tool to be nested within the shutter structure itself. This enables access to the shutter mechanism through the valve body without requiring direct access from the inside of the cell, resolving the contradiction between maintaining drainage function at a low point and enabling accessibility for checking and unblocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the shutter is blocked in the first position due to prolonged parking on the ground, then the valve remains in open state, but it becomes difficult to check correct operation or unblock the shutter

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshutter position stabilityVSAvoiddifficulty to check and unblock shutter

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

A tool with an expandable element acts as an intermediary between the operator and the shutter. The expandable element can be inserted into the recess of the shutter, providing a mechanical connection that allows the tool to transmit force to the shutter for checking operation or unblocking, while the control element remains accessible from outside the cell.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The recess is pre-configured in the shutter to receive the tool, preparing the mechanism in advance for potential checking or unblocking operations. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that when the shutter becomes stuck, the unblocking mechanism is already in place and can be activated without modifying the valve structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If a tool is introduced via the through hole to unblock the shutter, then the shutter can be unblocked, but the tool cannot access the shutter when it is blocked in the first position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshutter unblocking capabilityVSAvoidtool access limitation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of accessing the shutter through the through hole from the outside, the recess provides a new dimensional access path from the inside of the valve body. This allows the tool to reach the shutter in both positions (first and second) by entering through the recess, which is accessible regardless of the shutter's position, thereby eliminating the access limitation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Enables efficient verification and unblocking of the drainage valve, ensuring correct operation even when the differential pressure is low, by allowing access and manipulation of the shutter through the recess and expandable tool mechanism.

Implementation Method 1

a spring configured to keep the shutter in the first position as long as the differential between the internal and external pressures is below the given threshold

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the differential between the internal and external pressures becomes greater than or equal to the given threshold. Consequently, the pressure inside the cell is sufficient to push the shutter, working against the spring, against the ring

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS12292137B2Aircraft drainage valve, tool for checking the correct operation of said drainage valve and method for checking the operation of said drainage valve using said checking tool

Publication Date: 2025.05.06 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

AI summary

A drainage valve comprising a through hole, a seat around the through hole, a shutter comprising an end face and movable in a longitudinal direction between a first position in which the end face of the shutter is away from the seat and a second position in which the end face of the shutter is pressed against the seat and blocks the through hole, and an elastic element configured to keep the shutter in the first position. The shutter has a recess, emerging at its end face, configured to introduce therein a part of a tool in order to temporarily secure the part of the tool and the shutter in order to displace it in two directions longitudinally.