Biased Rotor Valve Sealing Without Housing Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional valve devices experience variations in surface pressure due to dimensional errors in the valve body or housing, affecting the sealing performance, leading to issues such as excessive torque and pressure buildup.
Innovation Solution
A valve device design that includes a rotor with a conical surface and a housing with a conical surface, where a biasing member presses the rotor against a seal without direct contact with the housing, maintaining appropriate surface pressure regardless of dimensional errors, and includes communication paths to prevent pressure buildup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the valve body and housing are in constant contact, then the structure is simple, but dimensional errors cause variations in surface pressure affecting sealing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the contact interface into two separate sealing surfaces: one between the valve body and seal, and another between the housing and seal. This segmentation isolates the sealing function from dimensional errors in the valve body or housing, allowing each component to maintain its own sealing interface independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal acts as an intermediary component between the valve body and housing. Instead of allowing direct contact between the valve body and housing (which transmits dimensional errors), the seal mediates the connection while maintaining consistent surface pressure through its own dedicated sealing interfaces.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the valve body is pressed against the housing, then positioning is stable, but excessive torque is generated during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the force transmission path by introducing the seal as an independent element. The biasing member applies force to the seal, which then transmits controlled pressure to both the valve body and housing sealing surfaces, reducing the torque required to operate the valve while maintaining stable positioning.
3Reliability
If the sealing surface area is increased, then sealing performance is improved, but the valve device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies sealing locally at two specific interfaces (valve body-seal and housing-seal) rather than requiring a large continuous sealing surface. This localized sealing approach maintains effective sealing performance while minimizing the overall size of the valve device.
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
The design ensures stable sealing performance with reduced torque requirements and prevents pressure buildup, allowing for a compact and efficient valve operation.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member for biasing the rotor in a first direction
Implementation Method 2
a valve member that includes a shaft portion rotatable about a rotation axis, and a rotor connected to the shaft portion
Data Source
AI summary
A valve device comprises a valve, housing, biasing member, and a first seal. The valve includes a shaft rotatable about a rotation axis and a rotor connected to the shaft, and, on an outer circumferential surface of the rotor there is a first flow path having a first opening. The housing includes a space for accommodating the valve, and a second flow path having a second opening communicable with the first opening, the space having on its inner circumferential surface the second opening. The biasing member biases the rotor in a first direction. The first seal is disposed between the outer surface of the rotor and the inner surface of the space. The rotor is pressed against the first seal by the biasing member with a surface of the rotor that faces in the first direction not in contact with the inner surface of the space.