Check Valve Web Slot Structure for Lightweight Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing check valves used in aircraft air conditioning systems require lightweight designs while maintaining structural integrity and sealing efficiency, as they need to minimize material usage without compromising performance under varying fluid pressures.
Innovation Solution
A check valve design featuring a T-shaped slot in the web of the valve housing, which extends along the neutral axis, allowing for material removal while maintaining structural properties and sealing efficiency, formed through milling, casting, or additive manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If material is removed from the web to reduce mass, then weight decreases, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The web is segmented by introducing slots that divide the material into discrete sections. These slots are positioned to remove material from low-stress regions while preserving the structural continuity in high-stress areas, allowing mass reduction without compromising overall strength
Solution Approach 2:
The slot geometry and positioning are optimized to create local variations in material distribution. The slots are placed specifically along the neutral axis where stress concentrations are minimal, while maintaining adequate material thickness in regions subject to higher mechanical loads, thus achieving local optimization of strength-to-weight ratio
2Productivity
If the web is made thinner to reduce material usage, then manufacturing efficiency improves, but sealing performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The web thickness is locally varied through the slot configuration. In sealing regions, the web maintains sufficient thickness to ensure proper sealing contact between flapper elements and the valve body, while in non-critical regions, material is removed to reduce overall usage and improve manufacturing efficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
A valve housing (4) for a check valve (2) comprises a housing body for mounting a pair of flapper elements (14) and a pair of valve openings (6) extending through said valve body. The valve openings (6) are separated by a web (8) which extends from one side of the valve body to an opposed side of the valve body. The valve body and web (8) define sealing surfaces around the valve openings (6) on one face (15) of the valve housing. The web (8) comprises a slot (20) extending into the web (8) from a face (22) thereof on said one face of said valve housing (4) and extending along a length of the web (8).