Control Valve Metal Insert Anchoring Plastic Body

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Solution Overview

Problem

Plastic control valves for door and window drives are prone to damage when actuated with a screwdriver due to insufficient mechanical resistance, leading to high replacement costs and reduced durability.

Innovation Solution

A control valve design featuring a metal valve insert with axial and radial flanks for secure anchoring within a plastic valve body, providing enhanced mechanical resistance and ease of use, while maintaining low manufacturing costs through injection molding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the valve head is made of plastic to reduce manufacturing costs, then production cost decreases, but mechanical resistance and durability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidmechanical resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The valve head combines plastic and metal materials in a single component. The plastic portions provide cost-effective manufacturing and sealing functions, while the metal insert provides the necessary mechanical strength and tool holder durability. This composite structure resolves the contradiction between low manufacturing cost and high mechanical resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If the valve head is made of plastic to simplify production, then manufacturing complexity decreases, but reliability under mechanical actuation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction simplicityVSAvoiddurability under actuation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The hybrid plastic-metal construction maintains injection molding simplicity for the plastic portions while incorporating a metal insert only where mechanical actuation occurs. This selective material application preserves production simplicity while dramatically improving reliability under screwdriver actuation and tool holder usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If a metal valve insert is used to improve mechanical resistance, then strength and durability improve, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The valve head is segmented into plastic and metal portions, with the metal insert placed only in the specific region requiring high mechanical resistance (the tool holder area). This segmentation allows the majority of the valve head to remain simple plastic injection molding, thereby limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity to only the necessary metal insert integration step.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of manufacture

If the tool holder is made of plastic to maintain low cost, then manufacturing cost remains low, but ease of operation deteriorates due to damage risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidusability and damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The tool holder portion of the valve head is made of metal with high mechanical strength and wear resistance, while other portions of the valve head remain plastic. This local quality differentiation ensures that the specific area subject to repeated tool actuation has the necessary durability and ease of operation, while maintaining low overall manufacturing cost through selective material usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2960416B1Control valve
Publication Date: 2018.10.31 GEZE GMBH
  • EP2960416B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2960416B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A regulating valve for an actuator, particularly for a door or window, comprises a valve body, made in particular of plastic, and a valve head, which is provided with a tool holder for a tool. The valve head, which includes the tool holder, is formed by a valve insert, made in particular of metal, that is firmly connected to the valve body.