Butterfly Shut-Off Valve With Integrated Elastic Sealing Edge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shut-off valves are not suitable for the food industry due to their large and complex design, high manufacturing costs, and sealing issues, particularly around the actuating device passage points, which require high torque and are expensive to produce.
Innovation Solution
A two-part plastic shut-off valve with a core surrounded by elastic sealing material, eliminating the need for a separate seal component, allowing peripheral sealing before and after the actuating device passage points, reducing assembly complexity and costs, and using a metal adjusting axis for strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate seal component is used in conventional shut-off valves, then sealing can be achieved, but the structure becomes complex and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is integrated directly into the shut-off disc as a monolithic component rather than being a separate part. The shut-off disc is produced as a single piece with the seal already formed as part of its structure, eliminating the need for separate seal components and their associated assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The shut-off disc serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the closing element, provides the sealing function through its integrated seal, and guides its own movement. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components needed in the valve assembly.
2Reliability
If the seal protrudes over the inner wall to ensure sealing, then sealing reliability improves, but the sealing surface area increases requiring higher actuating forces
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed to protrude locally only at the specific sealing location where it contacts the housing, rather than extending the entire circumference. This localized protrusion provides adequate sealing at the critical interface while keeping the overall sealing surface area minimal, thus reducing the actuating force required.
3Productivity
If conventional shut-off valves are designed for high pressure and large diameter, then they can handle high flow rates, but they become too large and complex for food industry applications
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into functional segments: the shut-off disc with integrated seal, the housing with flow channel, and the actuating mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity, making the valve suitable for food industry applications where cleanliness and simplicity are crucial.
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 solution simplifies manufacturing, reduces actuating force requirements, ensures reliable sealing, and is cost-effective, making it suitable for the food industry as an aseptic valve with improved security and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a core (4a) which is surrounded by elastic sealing material (4b)
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~6
Figure 7
AI summary
A shut-off valve with a housing (1) whose inner wall (2) forms a flow channel (3) with a round cross-section, and a cylindrical butterfly valve (4) arranged in the flow channel (3), which can be pivoted from a closed position, in which the butterfly valve (4) is sealed against the inner wall (2), to an open position by means of an actuating device (5), is characterized in that the butterfly valve (4) consists at least partially of an elastic sealing material and at least one circumferentially closed sealing edge (9, 10) is provided in the inner wall (2), against which the butterfly valve (4) bears circumferentially in its closed position.