Bidirectional Pump Valve Snap Retainer for Faster Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic bidirectional valves for high-pressure pumps require complex design and assembly due to the need for elastic element retention, which increases assembly time and effort, and often necessitate additional features like shoulder rings in the pump head.
Innovation Solution
A snap coupling mechanism is used to removably fix a retaining body to the valve body, holding elastic elements in position, allowing for quick and tool-free assembly and disassembly, and eliminating the need for shoulders in the cylinder or jacket, with a monolithic valve body made from durable materials like stainless steel, brass, or aluminum alloys.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a retaining body with screw fixation is used to hold elastic elements, then the elastic elements are securely positioned, but the assembly time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining body is designed as a separate modular component that can be independently assembled and detached, allowing quick installation and removal without affecting the entire valve structure. This segmentation enables maintenance and assembly operations to be performed on just the retaining body portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining body is pre-configured with integrated elastic element positioning features and sealing elements during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex on-site assembly operations, reducing assembly time while ensuring reliable elastic element positioning.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional valve designs with multiple separate components are used, then each component can be optimized independently, but the overall device complexity and assembly effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining body integrates multiple functions into a single component: it holds the elastic elements, provides sealing surfaces, and structures the fluid communication paths. This merging reduces the total number of parts and assembly steps while maintaining the ability to optimize each functional aspect during the design phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining body serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it acts as a mounting structure for elastic elements, a sealing component, and a flow distribution element. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate components for each function.
3Strength
If heavy materials like stainless steel are used for the valve body, then durability and resistance are enhanced, but the weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body uses aluminum alloy with strategically placed reinforcement zones where structural strength is critical (such as around the central conduit and mounting areas). This local quality approach provides enhanced durability where needed while keeping the overall weight low compared to using solid stainless steel throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body is constructed from aluminum alloy, a composite material that combines light weight with sufficient strength through alloying elements. This material choice provides an optimal balance between weight reduction and maintaining the durability required for pump valve applications.
4Ease of operation
If multiple notches are made in the pump head for valve installation, then the valves can be properly positioned, but the pump head experiences increased fatigue stress
Solution Approach 1:
The valve positioning function is segmented from the pump head structure by using a separate retaining body that attaches to the valve body. This segmentation eliminates the need for notches in the pump head, as the retaining body provides all necessary positioning and mounting features independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mounting and positioning functionality is extracted from the pump head and consolidated into the detachable retaining body. This extraction removes the harmful notching operation from the pump head while preserving the valve positioning capability through the retaining body's integrated design.
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
This solution simplifies the assembly process, enhances the valve's resistance and durability, and reduces fatigue stress on the pump head by minimizing notching effects and allowing the use of lighter materials like aluminum, while maintaining robustness and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a first elastic element configured to generate a force adapted to maintain the first shutter in the closing position, a second elastic element configured to generate a force adapted to maintain the second shutter in the closing position
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An automatic bidirectional valve (1) for high pressure pumps is described comprising: a valve body (5), a central conduit (10) of the through type that crosses the valve body (5) and is provided with a first opening (15) made in a first end (25A) of the valve body (5) and a second opening (20) made in an opposite second end (25B) of the valve body (5), and a peripheral conduit (75) made in the valve body (5), eccentric with respect to the central conduit (10) and provided with a first opening (80), made in a portion of the valve body (5) comprised between the first end (25A) and the second end (25B), and a second opening (90) made in the second end (25B) of the valve body (5). The valve also comprises a first shutter (95) movable at least between a closing position, in which it hermetically obstructs the first opening (15) of the central conduit (10), and an opening position, in which it is distanced from the first opening (15) of the central conduit (10) and allows the passage of flow through the first opening itself, a first elastic element (130) configured to generate a force adapted to maintain the first shutter (95) in the closing position, a second shutter (110) movable at least between a closing position, in which it hermetically obstructs the second opening (90) of the peripheral conduit (75), and an opening position, in which it is distanced from the second opening (90) of the peripheral conduit (75) and allows the passage of flow through the second opening itself, a second elastic element (135) configured to generate a force adapted to maintain the second shutter (110) in the closing position, and a retaining body (140,145) fixed to the valve body (5) and configured to hold in position one from among the first elastic element (130) and the second elastic element (135) so that said elastic element exercises said force on the respective shutter (95,110).