Integrated Check Valve Venting for Water-Resistant Brake Pneumatics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic devices, particularly brake systems, face issues with water ingress leading to corrosion, short circuits, and system failure due to their exposure to environmental media, which existing solutions inadequately address, especially when large quantities of water are present.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic device with a housing configured for fluid communication, featuring a breathing path with a liquid-impermeable but gas-permeable barrier and a valve element that allows bypassing the barrier for higher volume flow exhaust, ensuring protection against liquid ingress while maintaining gas exchange and reference pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a liquid impermeable but gas permeable barrier (breathing element) is used to prevent water ingress, then protection against liquid ingress is improved, but exhaust volume flow is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust function is segmented into two paths: a primary path through the breathing element for normal operation with liquid protection, and a secondary bypass path through the valve element for high-volume exhaust. This segmentation allows each path to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve element acts as an intermediary mechanism that provides an alternative flow path when high-volume exhaust is needed. It mediates between the requirement for liquid protection (breathing element) and the need for high exhaust capacity, allowing the system to switch between protection mode and high-performance exhaust mode.
2Reliability
If pneumatic connection to environment is provided for pressure equalization, then reference pressure is maintained, but foreign media ingress risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The breathing element introduces local quality differentiation by being liquid impermeable yet gas permeable. This allows the system to maintain pressure equalization (gas exchange) while preventing liquid ingress at the specific location of the breathing element, without requiring the entire housing to be sealed or the connection to be completely open.
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 prevents liquid ingress, enables higher volume flow exhaust, and maintains environmental pressure reference, enhancing the reliability and safety of pneumatic devices in wet conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a breathing element arranged in the breathing path and configured to provide a liquid impermeable but gas permeable barrier between the housing and the environment
Implementation Method 2
a valve element configured to bypass the breathing element for exhausting the pneumatic device to the environment
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a pneumatic device (1) for a brake system (100), comprising a housing (2) for receiving electric or electronic components and configured for being in fluid communication with the environment (5) during operation of the pneumatic device (1), a breathing path (15) having a port (17) and being in fluid connection with the housing (2) and the environment (5) and a breathing element (10) arranged in the breathing path (15) and configured to provide a liquid impermeable but gas permeable barrier between the housing (2) and the environment (5). The invention further suggests that the pneumatic device (1) comprises a valve element (40) which allows fluid to bypass the breathing element (10) for exhausting the pneumatic device (1) to the environment (5). The invention further relates to a brake system (100) having such a pneumatic device (1), a commercial vehicle (200) and a method for assembling the pneumatic device (1).