Composite Plastic Butterfly Valve Disc for Pressure-Resistant Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing shut-off valves in pipeline systems face issues with high weight and corrosion due to metal components, and the plastic layers often detach, failing to withstand internal pressures and requiring complex assembly processes.

Innovation Solution

A shut-off valve design featuring a plastic core with a ribbed structure and a surrounding plastic jacket, both made from different plastics, with a quick-release axle for easy assembly and replacement, manufactured using multi-component injection molding to ensure strength and medium resistance without a material bond between the core and jacket.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If metal plates are used in the butterfly valve to achieve high strength, then the strength is improved, but the weight increases and corrosion resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestrengthVSAvoidweight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, specifically using reinforced plastic for the core to achieve the necessary strength while maintaining lightweight properties and corrosion resistance. This material parameter change resolves the contradiction between strength and weight/corrosion resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material structure with a reinforced plastic core and an overmolded plastic shell. The core provides structural strength through reinforcement (e.g., fiber reinforcement), while the shell provides corrosion resistance and sealing. This composite approach achieves high strength without the weight and corrosion issues of metal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If a plastic layer is applied to metal flaps to protect from corrosion, then corrosion resistance is improved, but the plastic layer may detach under internal pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidlayer attachment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite structure where the core and shell are both made of plastic materials. The shell is overmolded directly onto the core, creating a integrated composite structure that prevents detachment under pressure while maintaining corrosion resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The shell is nested over the core in a concentric arrangement, with the shell completely surrounding the core. This nested structure, combined with the overmolding process, ensures the shell remains firmly attached to the core even under internal pressure, preventing the detachment issue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of manufacture

If the housing is assembled from multiple parts, then ease of manufacture is improved, but assembly complexity and sealing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacture flexibilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the housing into a single integrated component that accommodates the plate assembly. This single-piece housing eliminates the need for multiple housing parts and their associated seals, simplifying the overall assembly while maintaining ease of manufacture through injection molding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Device complexity

If the plate is made as a single component, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing flexibility and material optimization are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent quantityVSAvoidmaterial optimization
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The plate is manufactured as a composite component with a reinforced plastic core and an overmolded shell made of different plastics. This allows optimization of each layer's material properties - the core for strength and the shell for corrosion resistance - while still being produced as an integrated single component through overmolding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The plate exhibits local quality differentiation where the core and shell are made of different plastics with different properties. The core uses reinforced plastic for structural strength, while the shell uses corrosion-resistant plastic for medium contact, allowing material optimization in different regions of the same component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3722642B1Butterfly valve
Publication Date: 2022.02.23 GEORG FISCHER ROHRLEITUNGSSYSTEME AG
  • EP3722642B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3722642B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3722642B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Butterfly valves (1) for shutting off or regulating a medium flowing through a pipeline comprise a housing (2), wherein the housing is formed in one piece and is preferably made of plastic, a disc (3) and an axis (11), wherein the disc is pivotable along the axis between an open position and a closed position, wherein the disc has a core (4) made of plastic and a shell (5) made of plastic, wherein the plastic of the core and the plastic of the shell are not identical.