Castellated Check Valve Members to Prevent Shingling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional check valves with disc-shaped valve members made of silicone tend to stick together during bulk packing and assembly due to their flat geometry, leading to 'shingling' issues that complicate automated assembly.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a 'jack' shape geometry for the valve members with a valve stem portion and castellated feet, reducing the exposed surface area for sticking and preventing contact between upper and lower surfaces, thereby minimizing the likelihood of shingling and improving assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If disc-shaped valve members with flat geometry are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but valve members stick together during bulk packing causing shingling issues
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is designed with a curved, domed surface instead of a flat disc shape. This curvature reduces the contact surface area between stacked valve members, preventing them from sticking together during bulk packing and automated assembly, thereby eliminating shingling issues while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds vertical dimension to the valve member design by creating a domed shape with peak and slope regions. This three-dimensional configuration reduces the effective contact area when valve members are stacked, solving the sticking problem without complicating the manufacturing process
2Reliability
If silicone material is used for valve members, then sealing performance is improved, but natural stickiness causes shingling during bulk packing
Solution Approach 1:
The curved, domed geometry of the silicone valve member minimizes the surface area in contact with adjacent valve members during stacking. This reduces the effective sticky contact zones while preserving the full sealing performance of the silicone material against the valve seat
Solution Approach 2:
The valve member design creates different surface regions with different functions: the peak region has minimal contact area to prevent sticking, while the slope and sealing edge regions maintain full silicone contact for effective sealing. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between stickiness and sealing performance
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
A check valve includes an upper housing defining an inlet of the check valve, a lower housing defining an outlet of the check valve, and a cavity interposed between and defined by the upper and lower housings for fluidly connecting the inlet and the outlet. The check valve further includes a valve member mounted in the cavity to selectively permit fluid flow in a first direction, and prevent fluid backflow in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The valve member includes a valve body and a valve stem portion extending axially through a central axis of the valve body. The valve member may further include a plurality of feet disposed about and extending longitudinally from an outer circumferential perimeter of the valve body.