Plastic Butterfly Valve Housing With Dual-Side Insert Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing plastic barrier flap housings are limited to final installations due to metal inserts being accessible only on one side, preventing their use as intermediate installations.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates recording openings between the flange connection panes and the reinforcement structure, allowing metallic inserts to be arranged and fixed in a way that they can be accessed and used from both sides, enabling the housing to be used as both an intermediate and final installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If metal inserts are back-injected into the housing with blind holes on one side, then the housing can be manufactured as a single piece with integrated threading, but the valve can only be used as an end-mounted valve and cannot be used as an intermediate installation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesingle-piece housing manufacturingVSAvoidinstallation type flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into functional zones: the annular body for sealing, flange connection discs for mounting, and receiving openings for inserts. The receiving openings are strategically positioned to allow insert access from both sides, enabling the housing to function as either intermediate or end-mounted installation while maintaining single-piece manufacturing capability through injection molding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the housing is designed as wafer type with clamping between flanges, then the valve can be used as intermediate installation, but it cannot accommodate direct screwing of pipe flanges and requires separate fastening components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintermediate installation capabilityVSAvoidfastening system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the advantages of both lug type and wafer type designs into a single housing structure. The housing integrates flange connection discs for clamping (wafer type capability) while also incorporating receiving openings with metallic inserts that allow direct screwing of pipe flanges (lug type capability). This unified design eliminates the need to choose between installation types and reduces the need for separate fastening components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If threaded holes are made accessible from one side only, then the insert installation is simplified, but the valve loses the ability to be mounted on both sides and installation errors cannot be avoided

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsert installation simplicityVSAvoidinstallation correctness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving openings are positioned asymmetrically within the housing structure, located between the flange connection discs and the reinforcing structure. This asymmetric positioning allows the openings to be accessible from both sides of the housing while maintaining simple insert installation procedures. The metallic inserts can be easily inserted through these openings from either side, ensuring that the valve can be correctly mounted in any orientation and eliminating installation errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP4343181B1Butterfly valve housing
Publication Date: 2025.04.23 GEORG FISCHER ROHRLEITUNGSSYSTEME AG
  • EP4343181B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4343181B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4343181B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Butterfly valve housing for a butterfly valve with a closing element rotatably mounted in the housing, comprising a one-piece plastic housing, wherein the housing has an annular body, two end-mounted flanged connection discs and a reinforcing structure, wherein the annular body has an inner diameter forming a sealing area and an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter of the annular body is smaller than the outer diameter of the flanged connection discs, wherein the reinforcing structure is arranged on the outer diameter of the annular body and between the two flanged connection discs, and metallic inserts, wherein the inserts are arranged between the flanged connection discs along the outer circumference of the annular body, wherein receiving openings are arranged in the housing between the two flanged connection discs and between the reinforcing structure.wherein the receiving openings are directed from the outer circumference towards the vertical central axis into which the inserts can be inserted into the housing, wherein the inserts are arranged in the receiving openings in a form-fitting manner.