Cap Unit Reversed Flow Prevention for Tire Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cap units for tire puncture emergency repair apparatuses face issues with reversed flow of puncture-sealing agent into the compressor due to instability in the spherical valve mechanism, leading to potential pollution and safety concerns at high pressures.
Innovation Solution
A cap unit design featuring a reversed flow preventing device with a vertical flow passage and a biasing spring to securely hold a spherical valve in place, utilizing a valve seat case with a preventing dropping device to maintain stability and prevent the valve from dropping, even at high pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spherical valve is used in the air flow passage to prevent reversed flow, then the reversed flow of puncture-sealing agent is prevented, but the valve may drop due to the enlarged vertical air flow passage diameter and slack joint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a preventing dropping device that secures the spherical valve in advance before any reversed flow occurs. The device includes a preventing dropping protrusion that engages with the spherical valve, pre-positioning it securely in the air flow passage to prevent both reversed flow and accidental dropping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a preventing dropping device as a mediator between the spherical valve and the air flow passage. This device acts as an intermediate component that provides additional securing engagement, ensuring the valve remains stable without directly modifying the valve itself or the passage structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the vertical air flow passage has an enlarged diameter for easy assembly, then the manufacturing is easier, but the joint with secured pin becomes slack and the valve function becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating a preventing dropping device that pre-establishes secure engagement between the secured pin and the air flow passage. This device ensures proper positioning and tight engagement before the assembly is put into service, maintaining valve function stability despite the enlarged passage diameter that facilitates easier assembly.
3Productivity
If high pressure (350 kPa) is exerted in the bottle container during puncture repairing, then the puncture-sealing agent is effectively injected into the tire, but the puncture-sealing agent may belch from the air intake port and pollute the surroundings upon disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful high pressure that causes agent leakage into a beneficial force by using it to activate the reversed flow preventing device. The high pressure automatically opens the spherical valve to allow compressed air injection, and when pressure drops upon disconnection, the same mechanism ensures the valve closes to prevent pollution, thus converting the potentially harmful pressure into a controlled operational feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the spherical valve and preventing dropping device as intermediaries between the high-pressure bottle container and the external environment. These components act as a controlled interface that allows beneficial high-pressure injection while blocking harmful reverse flow and pollution, mediating between the productive high pressure and the need to prevent contamination.
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 effectively prevents the reverse flow of puncture-sealing agent, ensuring stable valve operation and enhanced safety by securely maintaining the spherical valve, even at pressures up to 350 kPa, thus improving the assembly and operational reliability of the cap unit.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing spring disposed in said second vertical hole and biasing the spherical valve toward the valve seat
Implementation Method 2
a ball-shaped spherical valve inserted movably into said third vertical hole and enabling to open and close the valve seat
Implementation Method 3
an air flow passage to feed the compressed air form a compressor (d) through an air intake port (e1) into a bottle container (b)
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a cap unit wherein safety is increased by preventing a reversed flow of a puncture-sealing agent. A cap main body (33) comprises an air flow passage (31) consisting of a vertical flow passage (31A) extending downward from an air passage upper opening (31a), a lateral flow passage (31B) laterally extending from an air intake port (31b), and a connecting flow passage (31C) connecting therebetween. The air flow passage (31) is provided with a reversed flow preventing device (22). The cap main body (33) is provided with a vertical hole (40) consisting of first to fourth vertical holes (40A to 40D) which have inner diameters increasing downwardly from the upper end in a stepwise manner, and the first to third vertical holes (40A to 40C) form the vertical flow passage (31A). A valve seat case (42) provided with the connecti ng flow passage (31C) is inserted in the fourth verti cal hol e (40D). The reversed flow preventing means (22) is provided with a valve seat (23) arranged at the upper end of the valve seat case (42), a spherical valve (24) loosely inserted in the third vertical hole (40C), and a biasing spring (25) arranged in the second vertical hole (40B). The valve seat case (42) is provided with a device (44) for preventing dropping from the fourth vertical hole (40D).