Gerotor Check Valve Stop-Face Holes for Low Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current check valve designs for hydraulic motors, particularly gerotor/geroler motors, are complex and costly due to multiple components, leading to increased package size and external leakage points.
Innovation Solution
A simplified check valve design featuring a valve housing with two parts and a valve element, where the second port opens into a stop face through an array of holes with a cross-sectional area smaller than the valve element, allowing fluid flow while maintaining low pressure drop and minimizing leakage with a sealing mechanism between housing parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simplified check valve design with only three parts is used, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but reliability may worsen due to fewer sealing interfaces and simpler structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into fewer components. The valve element simultaneously serves as both a closure element (blocking flow when closed) and a guidance element (moving between open and closed positions). The housing integrates the valve body, stop face, and sealing surfaces into a single molded piece, eliminating the need for separate sealing rings and reducing assembly complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve element is designed with multi-functionality: it acts as a closure element, a guidance element, and a positioning element against the stop face. This universal design reduces the total number of components needed while ensuring reliable operation through the inherent geometry of the single valve element.
2Loss of energy
If the array of holes has a large total area to maintain low pressure drop, then fluid flow is improved, but the valve element may become ineffective at blocking flow when closed
Solution Approach 1:
The array of holes is strategically positioned and sized so that each hole is small enough to be blocked by the valve element, yet the collective area of all holes is large enough to provide low pressure drop when open. The local geometry of each hole location ensures that the valve element can effectively seal against any individual hole while the distributed pattern maintains overall flow capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow path is segmented into multiple discrete holes rather than a single large opening. This segmentation allows the valve element to effectively block each individual hole when closed, while the cumulative area of all holes provides sufficient flow area when open, resolving the contradiction between blocking capability and pressure drop.
3Ease of manufacture
If the valve element is free to move perpendicular to the valve seat axis without guidance, then ease of manufacture is improved, but positioning precision may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The valve element uses its own geometry to achieve proper positioning and guidance. The tapered shape and diameter of the valve element are designed to naturally guide it into the correct position as it moves toward the closed state, eliminating the need for external guidance mechanisms. The stop face provides a natural stopping point when the valve is fully open, ensuring consistent positioning through self-alignment.
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 design reduces complexity and cost by requiring only three parts, ensures continuous fluid flow with minimal pressure drop, and minimizes leakage, making it suitable for hydraulic gerotor or geroler machines to prevent cavitation during pumping operations.
Implementation Method 1
The array of holes allow a flow of the fluid when the check valve is open
Implementation Method 2
a check valve is used to allow a flow of a fluid in one direction and to block the flow of the fluid in the opposite direction, at least when there is a pressure gradient across the check valve
Data Source
AI summary
A check valve (1) is described, the check valve (1) including a valve housing having a first port (2) and a second port (3) connected to a valve chamber (4), a valve seat (5) having a valve seat axis (6) and being arranged between the first port (2) and the valve chamber (4), and a valve element (7) movably arranged within the valve chamber (4) between the valve seat (5) and a stop face (8) opposite the valve seat (5), wherein the valve housing includes a first part (9) having the first port (2) and a second part (10) having the second port (3) and being connected to the first part (9). Such a check valve should have a simple design. To this end the second port (3) opens into the stop face (8) by means of an array of holes (12), wherein the cross section area of the holes (12) is smaller than the smallest cross section area of the valve element (7).