Airtight switch and airtight device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airtight devices face challenges in maintaining airtightness during maintenance or element replacement due to difficulties in opening and closing the airtight apparatus, leading to potential gas leakage and safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
An airtight switch with a slider and linear drive device that allows for smooth, airtight closure and opening of the lid structure using a sloped surface and slide groove design, ensuring reliable airtightness through a linear sliding mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screw locking is used to ensure airtightness, then airtightness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into multiple locking lugs distributed around the circumference, allowing incremental engagement and disengagement. This segmentation enables the lid to be locked at multiple positions while maintaining airtightness, and facilitates easier opening by distributing the locking force across multiple points rather than requiring complete unscrewing of a single fastener.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking lugs are designed to dynamically engage with corresponding recesses in the enclosure during rotation, with spring elements providing continuous contact force. This dynamic engagement allows smooth transition between locked and unlocked states, eliminating the static friction problems of traditional screw locking while maintaining reliable airtight sealing.
2Reliability
If conventional screw locking is used, then airtightness is maintained, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking lugs are pre-positioned and spring-loaded to automatically engage with the enclosure recesses when the lid is rotated into place. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for precise manual alignment during maintenance operations, significantly reducing the time and skill required for element replacement while ensuring consistent airtight sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional screw-threaded mechanical fastening system is replaced with a rotational locking mechanism using lugs and recesses. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming threading and unthreading operations, allowing rapid engagement and disengagement of the lid while maintaining equivalent or superior airtight sealing through the distributed lug contact points.
3Ease of operation
If the lid is opened for maintenance, then ease of operation is improved, but airtightness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism uses multiple discrete locking lugs rather than a continuous seal, allowing the lid to be opened to any degree without compromising the integrity of the remaining sealed portion. This segmentation enables partial opening for maintenance access while maintaining airtightness in the closed regions, and ensures complete re-sealing when the lid is fully closed and lugs engage.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements in the locking mechanism automatically maintain contact force between the locking lugs and enclosure recesses, ensuring airtight sealing without requiring external adjustment or intervention. When the lid is closed, the springs self-adjust to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and wear, automatically restoring optimal sealing pressure without manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
An airtight switch adapted for an airtight device comprises an enclosure and a lid structure which are adapted to be joined with each other at a junction plane. The airtight switch includes a slider disposed at one of the enclosure or the lid structure. The airtight switch includes a contact element disposed at the other of the enclosure or the lid structure. The contact element has a sloped surface, and the slider selectively abuts against the sloped surface. The airtight switch includes a linear drive device adapted to drive the slider to move linearly in a sliding direction. The sliding direction is parallel to the junction plane and non-perpendicular to a normal vector of the sloped surface. The airtight switch is adapted to be applied in an airtight device needing a switch with good sealing and airtightness.