Check Valve Unit Hydroforming to Reduce Size and Assembly Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional check valves used in air-conditioning apparatus refrigeration cycles are large in size, restricting their arrangement and mounting due to the presence of large and small diameter portions and tapered sections, which increases the assembly size when multiple valves are combined.
Innovation Solution
A check valve unit with a reduced size design, featuring a cylindrical container body and a movable valve body, where the valve seat and protruding portion are integrally formed by hydroforming, eliminating the need for small diameter portions and tapered sections, allowing for a two-component configuration and simplified manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional check valve structure with large diameter portion, small diameter portions, and tapered portions is used, then the valve can perform refrigerant flow directionality, but the overall size of the valve becomes large which restricts arrangement flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the container body and valve body into a single integrated component formed by hydroforming a tube stock. This eliminates the need for separate large diameter portion, small diameter portions, and tapered portions that were previously required in conventional check valves, thereby significantly reducing the overall valve size while maintaining the refrigerant flow directionality function through the integrated structure with inlet/outlet ports and valve assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydroforming technology to shape the tube stock into the final check valve structure. By applying hydraulic pressure to the tube stock during forming, the desired three-dimensional shape with integrated container body and valve body is achieved, enabling compact design without compromising structural integrity or functional performance
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple check valves are assembled together, then the assembly provides multiple flow control functions, but the assembly size increases significantly imposing restrictions on mounting arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functional elements (container body, valve body, inlet port, outlet port, valve assembly) into a single compact unit through hydroforming. This merged structure provides multiple flow control functions within a minimized footprint, allowing multiple such valves to be assembled together without significant increase in overall assembly size, thereby improving mounting arrangement flexibility
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional multi-component check valve structure is used, then each component can be manufactured separately, but the manufacturing process becomes complex with multiple assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the manufacturing of container body and valve body into a single hydroforming process step. The tube stock is hydroformed to create the integrated structure with all necessary features (inlet/outlet ports, valve assembly housing) in one operation, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of multiple components, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining ease of production
Solution Approach 2:
The hydroforming process performs preliminary shaping of the tube stock to create the final three-dimensional check valve structure with all functional features already integrated. This preliminary action of forming the complete structure in one step avoids subsequent complex assembly operations, reducing manufacturing process complexity while maintaining production efficiency
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 reduced size of the check valve unit provides greater flexibility in arrangement and mounting, reducing manufacturing costs and complexity while maintaining effective refrigerant flow directionality without backflow.
Implementation Method 1
a method for manufacturing a check valve unit, the method comprising: hydroforming a tube stock to thereby integrally form a valve body housing portion and a valve seat
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
Figure 2C~2E
Figure 2F~3
AI summary
A check valve unit 1 includes: a container body 2 including a valve body housing portion 21, a valve seat 22, and a protruding portion 23, the valve body housing portion 21 having a cylindrical shape, the valve seat 22 being formed at one end portion of the valve body housing portion 21 and protruding from an inner peripheral surface of the valve body housing portion 21, the protruding portion 23 being formed at the other end portion of the valve body housing portion 21 and protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the valve body housing portion 21; and a valve body 3 including a valve portion 31 and a guide portion 32 and disposed in the container body 2, the valve portion 31 coming into contact with the valve seat 22 at a time of preventing backflow of refrigerant, the guide portion 32 including a plurality of blades.