Bag-in-box Valve With Perpendicular Handle Locking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valves for bag-in-box and steel tank systems are expensive to produce and lack reliability when subjected to varying temperatures and pressures, and they often experience leakage issues due to handle movement during operation.
Innovation Solution
A valve design featuring a separate main body and front connector with a handle unit that locks perpendicular to the valve member, preventing undesired movement and ensuring a secure seal, using materials that can withstand high temperatures and pressures, and incorporating a handle locking unit with semi-circle halves for easy assembly and enhanced sealing properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional butterfly valve is used for bag-in-box systems, then the valve can control fluid flow, but it is expensive to produce and lacks reliability under varying temperatures and pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into separate components: a body, a valve member (disc), and a handle unit that can be assembled together. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using cost-effective processes while maintaining overall reliability through proper assembly and sealing interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve design incorporates parameters such as the angled insertion of the handle unit (at approximately 45 degrees to the flow pipe axis) and the specific geometry of the valve member and seat to ensure reliable sealing under varying temperature and pressure conditions while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If the handle unit is made movable for operation, then the valve can be opened and closed, but leakage occurs due to undesired handle movement during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The handle unit is pre-configured with a locking mechanism that automatically engages when the handle is inserted at the specified angle. This preliminary positioning ensures the handle is correctly oriented before operation, and the locking mechanism prevents any undesired movement during use, maintaining sealing integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle unit transitions from a movable state during insertion to a locked fixed state during operation. The locking mechanism allows the handle to be freely movable for opening and closing operations while preventing movement during normal operation to maintain the seal.
3Reliability
If food-safe materials are used for all valve components, then the valve is safe for food contact, but non-food-safe materials cannot be used even for non-contact parts during high-temperature sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
Different material safety requirements are applied to different parts of the valve based on their function. The body and valve member that contact food use food-safe materials, while the handle unit and external components that do not contact food can use materials better suited for high-temperature sterilization processes, optimizing both safety and thermal resistance where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is segmented into food-contact components (body, valve member) and non-food-contact components (handle unit, external mechanisms). This segmentation allows selective application of food-safe material requirements only where necessary, enabling the use of more thermally resistant materials in non-contact portions during sterilization processes.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
A valve for a bag-in-box system including a separate main body (200) having a through hole (202), a valve member (302) which is configured to move between an open state and a closed state, and a valve seat (303) against which the valve member (302) is configured to create a sealing in the closed state. The valve further includes a handle unit (301) connected to the valve member (302) and configured to move the valve member (302) back and forth between the open state and the closed state. The valve member (302) and the valve seat (303) are arranged within the through hole (202) of the main body (200) and the handle unit (301) is locked to the valve member (302) in a direction perpendicular to the extension of the through hole.