Cap Unit for Puncture Repair Using Rubber Ball Valve

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cap units for puncture repair cause abnormal noise due to ball valve vibrations during vehicle travel, and they either increase costs or fail to effectively prevent backflow of puncture repair liquid.

Innovation Solution

A cap unit with a check valve featuring a rubber ball valve in a vertical passage part, where the ball valve has a specific gravity of 1.1 or more and a rebound resilience of 15% or less, allowing it to close the valve seat without a biasing spring and reducing noise from collisions, and is designed with specific dimensions to optimize movement and sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a metal ball valve with a biasing spring is used to prevent backflow, then the backflow prevention function is improved, but the cost increases and the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackflow prevention functionVSAvoidvalve structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the biasing spring component from the traditional check valve structure. By using a rubber ball valve whose elasticity and weight alone enable it to close the valve seat and prevent backflow, the design eliminates unnecessary components while maintaining the core backflow prevention function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the material parameters of the ball valve from metal to rubber with specific properties (specific gravity of 1.1 or more and rebound resilience of 15% or less). This parameter change allows the ball valve to function effectively without a biasing spring, as the rubber material's inherent elasticity and density enable it to seal the valve seat reliably.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If a simple check valve without a biasing spring is used, then the cost is reduced and structure is simplified, but abnormal noise occurs due to ball valve movement during vehicle vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve structure simplicityVSAvoidabnormal noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention specifies precise material parameters for the rubber ball valve: specific gravity of 1.1 or more and rebound resilience of 15% or less. These parameter constraints ensure the ball valve has sufficient weight to move down and close the valve seat reliably, while the low rebound resilience minimizes elastic recovery and collisions that generate noise during vehicle vibrations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a rubber ball valve that is simpler and less expensive than metal alternatives with biasing springs. While rubber may have shorter service life than metal, the design achieves cost reduction and structural simplification while meeting performance requirements through careful material selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If the ball valve outer diameter is increased to improve sealing, then the sealing performance is improved, but the ratio Db/Da becomes too large affecting flow path efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidair flow efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the geometric parameters of the ball valve, specifically the ratio Db/Da (outer diameter of ball valve to inner diameter of valve housing zone). By constraining this ratio to be between 0.75 and 0.9, the design achieves a balance where the ball valve is large enough to provide effective sealing contact with the valve seat, yet small enough to maintain adequate flow area for efficient compressed air passage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 suppresses abnormal noise and ensures quiet operation while preventing backflow of puncture repair liquid without the need for additional components, thus reducing costs and enhancing the puncture repair process.

Implementation Method 1

the ball valve is made of a rubber elastic body having a specific gravity of 1.1 or more and a rebound resilience of 15% or less... the ball valve is disposed in the valve housing zone... to close the valve seat portion without a biasing spring

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the ball valve is made of a rubber elastic body having a specific gravity of 1.1 or more and a rebound resilience of 15% or less... to reduce noise from collisions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3222413B1Cap unit for puncture repair
Publication Date: 2021.09.08 SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3222413B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3222413B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3222413B1 patent drawingFigure 3(A)~3(B)

AI summary

[Problems] To suppress the occurrence of abnormal noise from a ball valve due to vibrations during the vehicle is traveling, while employing a simple structure. [Means for solving the problems] A check valve 6 for preventing a backflow of a puncture repair liquid from a bottle container 2 is disposed in a first flow path 3 for taking compressed air from a compressor 8 into a bottle container 2. The check valve is formed by a ball valve 21 disposed in a valve housing zone Y which is located in a vertical passage part 15 of the first flow path 3 and between an upper opening 3U and a valve seat portion 20. The ball valve 21 is formed from a rubber elastic body having a specific gravity of 1.1 or more, and a rebound resilience of 15% or less.