Valve Assembly Lockout Screws for Vibration-Stable Bleed Air Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing valve assemblies in turbine engines, such as those used in aircraft, face issues with locking mechanisms that can be loosened or damaged due to vibration, leading to unreliable control of bleed air flow.

Innovation Solution

A valve assembly with a self-storing lockout mechanism using lockout screws that are threaded into receivers, providing secure engagement with the actuator to maintain the valve in desired positions, preventing loosening and damage from vibrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If external tethers are used to secure locking fasteners, then the locking mechanism can be maintained, but the tethers can become loosened or damaged due to vibration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking mechanism reliabilityVSAvoidvibration damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the external tether component entirely and replaces it with a self-contained locking mechanism where the fastener is retained within the valve assembly housing. This extraction of the harmful external element (tether) eliminates the vulnerability to vibration-induced loosening while maintaining the locking function through internal structural retention features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking fastener is designed to be self-retaining within the valve assembly through integrated retention features in the housing. The mechanism serves itself by containing its own components without requiring external tethers or additional fastening elements, making the system self-sufficient and resistant to vibration damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If removable fasteners are used for locking, then the valve can be locked in static positions, but the fasteners can loosen or be liberated from stowed position due to vibration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve positioningVSAvoidfastener position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the locking fastener with the valve assembly housing into a unified structure. The fastener and retention features are integrated components of the same assembly, eliminating the separation between the locking element and its mounting structure. This merging ensures that the fastener cannot become detached or loosened while maintaining ease of operation for valve positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking fastener is nested within the valve assembly housing with dedicated retention features that contain the fastener in a stowed position. The fastener is housed within the structure like a nested component, allowing it to be accessed and operated while preventing it from becoming liberated due to vibration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS11486514B2Valve assembly and lockout mechanism

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LLC

AI summary

A valve assembly including a valve body with an inlet port and an outlet port, a flow passage and a valve element disposed within the flow passage, an actuator and a lockout mechanism configured to maintain the position of the valve assembly in an opened position or a closed position. The lockout mechanism can include at least one screw.