Preloaded Check Valve Seal for Winter Backflow Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing apparatuses for fluid lines in swimming pools and similar systems are ineffective due to weathering of seal materials and require special retrofitting, failing to prevent backflow and damage during winter months.
Innovation Solution
A sealing apparatus with an elastomeric plug and pre-loaded tension member that engages with a conical seat within a housing, featuring a flange for easy handling and threadable connection, designed to maintain a watertight seal and allow fluid flow only in one direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a threaded plug is used to close off the fluid line, then the fluid line can be sealed, but the seal material weatheres over time and loses effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the sealing element from traditional rubber or plastic to an elastomeric material with superior weathering resistance. This material parameter change enables the seal to maintain its sealing effectiveness throughout the winter season without degrading from exposure to cold temperatures, UV radiation, and environmental factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing apparatus uses a composite construction combining an elastomeric sealing element with a rigid housing and tension member. The elastomeric material provides weathering resistance and sealing capability, while the rigid components provide structural support, creating a composite system that overcomes the limitations of single-material solutions.
2Reliability
If a threaded plug is used to seal the fluid line, then water can be prevented from entering, but special retrofitting of the fluid line opening is required
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing apparatus is divided into separable components: a housing that threads onto the existing fluid line opening, and a removable plug assembly containing the elastomeric sealing element. This segmentation allows the housing to be installed on standard fluid line openings without modification, while the plug assembly can be easily inserted and removed as needed, eliminating the need for special retrofitting.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed with a universal threading pattern that can be attached to various standard fluid line openings in swimming pools and spas. This universal design enables the same sealing apparatus to be used across different installations without requiring custom retrofitting, making it adaptable to multiple applications.
3Reliability
If a pre-loaded tension member is used to maintain the seal, then the seal remains effective, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tension member is integrated within the housing structure rather than being a separate external component. The housing itself serves as the mounting structure for the tension member, merging the structural support function with the tensioning mechanism. This integration reduces the number of discrete parts and simplifies assembly while maintaining consistent sealing pressure through the pre-loaded tension member.
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
Effectively prevents water from entering the fluid line during winter months, maintaining a watertight seal and allowing fluid to flow when necessary, while being easy to install and durable.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically resilient plug disposed within the hollow interior of the housing
Implementation Method 2
a tension member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the housing. The tension member may be pre-loaded in tension to urge the body of the plug against the seat
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing assembly for controlling a flow of fluid through a fluid line has a housing having a first end opposite a second end with a hollow interior extending therebetween and an elastically resilient plug disposed within the hollow interior of the housing. The plug has a body engagable with a seat within the housing and a tension member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the housing. The tension member is pre-loaded in tension to urge the body of the plug against the seat to seal the hollow interior of the housing. The body is movable away from the seat when the plug is acted upon by a fluid pressure greater than a pre-load force of the tension member.