Atomizer Disc Segmentation for Laminar Flow Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing atomizer discs suffer from anisotropic punch indentations and material changes during manufacturing, leading to distorted channel geometries and undesirable turbulence, which impair fluid atomization efficiency in internal combustion engines.

Innovation Solution

The atomizer disc is designed with a two-part structure, comprising a fluid guide disc and a spray hole disc, where the channel geometry is cut out in the fluid guide disc, preventing anisotropic punch indentations and allowing precise manufacturing of the guide channel, ensuring a defined fluid flow path without turbulence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If channel geometry is embossed into a one-piece spray orifice disc using punch indentation, then the manufacturing process is simple, but anisotropic material changes and compression occur that distort the channel geometry and create turbulence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidchannel geometry accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The atomizer disc is divided into two separate components: a fluid guide disc with cut-out channel geometry and a spray orifice disc with spray holes. This segmentation allows the channel geometry to be precisely cut without punch indentation, eliminating material distortion while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through separate component production and assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The traditional punch indentation mechanical process is replaced with a cut-out method for creating channel geometry. This substitution eliminates the compressive forces and anisotropic material changes associated with punching, while still allowing for efficient manufacturing through cutting processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If channel geometry is cut out in a separate fluid guide disc, then manufacturing precision and flow path accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel geometry accuracyVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fluid guide disc and spray orifice disc are joined together through a connecting element to form an integrated atomizer assembly. This merging maintains the manufacturing precision benefits of separate component fabrication while creating a unified device that functions as a single unit, minimizing the practical impact of the additional component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If punch indentation is used to create channel geometry, then manufacturing is easier, but undesirable turbulence occurs along the channel walls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidfluid turbulence
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful punch indentation process is extracted and removed from the manufacturing method. Instead, a cut-out process is used to create the channel geometry in the fluid guide disc, which eliminates the source of turbulence along the channel walls while maintaining ease of manufacture through efficient cutting processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Device complexity

If a one-piece atomizer disc is used, then device complexity is reduced, but flow rate calculation accuracy decreases due to manufacturing distortions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidflow rate calculation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The channel geometry is precisely cut out in the fluid guide disc before assembly, establishing accurate flow path dimensions in advance. This preliminary precision action allows for accurate flow rate calculations based on the actual manufactured geometry, compensating for the increased structural complexity through pre-established measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4170154B1Atomizer disc and method of producing an atomizer disc
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 HEINZ HAENGGI SWISS STAMPING SOLUTIONS GMBH
  • EP4170154B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4170154B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4
  • EP4170154B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to an atomizing disc for atomizing a fluid with at least one fluid guide disc (11) and at least one spray hole disc (12) arranged on the fluid guide disc (11), which has at least one spray hole (15) offset from the center (Z) of the atomizing disc (10), and to a method for manufacturing an atomizing disc (10), wherein a fluid guide disc (11) and a spray hole disc (12) with at least one spray hole 15 arranged therein and a circumferential geometry 18 are cut out.