Control Valve Sealing Tube Geometry to Prevent Leakage and Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control valves for vehicle cooling systems experience excessive force on the sealing tube member due to liquid pressure differences, leading to potential leakage and abrasion issues, as the sealing tube member is pressed too forcefully against the valve body, necessitating larger and more powerful actuators and increased wear.
Innovation Solution
The control valve design incorporates a sealing tube member with a biasing pressure receiving surface area (S1) set to be smaller than the valve sliding contact surface area (S2), with the ratio S1/S2 ≤ S1/k, where k is a pressure reduction constant, ensuring the sealing tube member is not pressed excessively, and a displacement restriction spring is used to stabilize the sealing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sealing tube member is biased toward the valve body by a biasing spring and liquid pressure acts on the sealing tube member, then the sealed state of the end portion of the sealing tube member is favorably retained, but the sealing tube member is pressed against the valve body with excessive force causing abrasion and requiring larger actuators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the sealing tube member by providing a pressure receiving surface with a specific area relationship to the sliding contact surface. The pressure receiving surface area is designed to be smaller than the sliding contact surface area, which modifies how liquid pressure acts on the member. This parameter change ensures that the net force from liquid pressure biasing the sealing tube member toward the valve body is reduced to an appropriate level, preventing excessive pressing force while maintaining reliable sealing performance.
2Reliability
If a biasing spring is used to bias the sealing tube member toward the valve body, then sealing is improved, but the device complexity and actuator size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by designing the sealing tube member to automatically regulate its own biasing force through the pressure receiving surface. The liquid pressure acting on the pressure receiving surface creates a self-adjusting biasing effect that pushes the sealing tube member toward the valve body when needed for sealing, without requiring an external biasing spring. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional biasing components and reduces actuator size while maintaining reliable sealing performance.
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
This configuration prevents excessive force on the valve body, maintains favorable sealing properties, reduces the risk of leakage, and minimizes abrasion, allowing for efficient operation with smaller actuators and extended component lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing tube member has a biasing pressure receiving surface which receives a pressure of a liquid inside the valve housing and biases the sealing tube member to the valve body side
Implementation Method 2
A gap between the outer circumferential surface of the tube portion and an inner circumferential surface of the sealing tube member is sealed by a seal ring
Implementation Method 3
The biasing spring is interposed between an end surface on a side away from the valve body in the sealing tube member and the joint member
Data Source
AI summary
A control valve includes a valve housing, a joint member, a valve body, and a sealing tube member. The sealing tube member has a biasing pressure receiving surface that receives a pressure of a liquid inside the valve housing and biases the sealing tube member to the valve body side. An area S1 of the biasing pressure receiving surface and an area S2 of a valve sliding contact surface of the sealing tube member are set to satisfy Expressions (1) and (2),S1<S2≤S1/k (1)α≤k<1 (2)where k is a pressure reduction constant of a liquid flowing through a minute gap between the valve sliding contact surface and the valve body, andα is a lower limit value for the pressure reduction constant determined based on physical properties of a liquid.