Check Valve Asymmetric Tabs for Clocking Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air pressure systems face challenges in properly clocking and orienting check valves, which are crucial for ensuring correct fluid flow direction and pressure regulation, as existing designs often allow for incorrect assembly and increased manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a check valve with radially extending tabs of different dimensions and angles, which fit into corresponding slots on duct flanges, preventing incorrect orientation and simplifying assembly by ensuring tabs can only fit correctly in one orientation, thus ensuring proper clocking and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional check valve designs are used without specific tab and slot features, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the reliability of proper clocking and orientation is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The check valve employs asymmetric tab design where the first tab has a first circumferential width and the second tab has a second circumferential width that is different from the first. This asymmetry ensures that the tabs can only fit into corresponding slots in a specific orientation, guaranteeing proper clocking and orientation of the check valve in the duct system.
2Reliability
If complex indexing features are used to ensure proper orientation, then the reliability of assembly is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The check valve is segmented into distinct functional features: a circular flange for mounting, radially extending tabs for orientation, and slots for receiving these tabs. This segmentation allows each feature to be independently manufactured and assembled, simplifying the manufacturing process while ensuring proper assembly through the tab-slot interface.
3Ease of operation
If tabs with different dimensions are used, then the ease of operation is improved by preventing incorrect assembly, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first tab has a first radial length and the second tab has a second radial length that is different from the first. This asymmetric design creates a unique geometric signature that can only fit into the duct flange slots in the correct orientation, making it immediately obvious during assembly whether the check valve is installed correctly or incorrectly.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab and slot configuration provides self-checking functionality during assembly. The asymmetric tabs automatically prevent incorrect installation attempts, and the proper fit of tabs into slots self-verify correct orientation, eliminating the need for additional indexing features or complex assembly procedures.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A check valve 12 includes a circular check valve flange 20 that circumscribes a central axis and defines an outer perimeter of the check valve 12. The check valve also includes a first tab 22 that extends radially outward from the check valve flange and has a first circumferential width and a first radial length. The check valve also includes a second tab 24 that extends radially outward from the check valve flange and has a second circumferential width and a second radial length. The first circumferential width is different than the second circumferential width and the first radial length is greater than the second radial length. The first tab 22 and the second tab 24 of the check valve are disposed about the check valve flange 20 at an angle other than 180 degrees apart.