Fail-Safe Coolant Valve Gravity Return Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coolant control valves require large-capacity drive motors to overcome the elastic force of return springs, increasing production costs and making it difficult to reduce part size and weight, while also lacking a reliable fail-safe mechanism for actuator malfunctions or abnormal coolant temperature increases.
Innovation Solution
A fail-safe coolant control valve design that uses a thermostat with a wax contracting or expanding depending on coolant temperature, coupled with a rotating conversion part to convert linear movement into valve rotation, eliminating the need for a separate return spring and allowing a small-capacity drive motor, ensuring reliable communication between inlet and outlet ports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a return spring is used to provide fail-safe function, then the valve member can be returned to original position, but a large-capacity drive motor is required to overcome the elastic force of the return spring
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the return spring from the system. Instead of using a mechanical return spring that requires large drive motor power to overcome, the patent employs a fail-safe valve member that automatically returns to its original position through its own weight and gravitational force when the actuator fails, thereby removing the need for a large-capacity drive motor while maintaining reliable fail-safe function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical return spring system with a gravity-based fail-safe mechanism. The valve member is designed to utilize gravitational force and its own weight to return to the original position upon actuator failure, substituting the elastic mechanical system with a gravity-based system that requires minimal drive motor power.
2Ease of operation
If a large-capacity drive motor is used to overcome return spring force, then the valve member can be actuated, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the return spring from the system, the invention eliminates the associated manufacturing costs of procuring, assembling, and maintaining the spring mechanism. The fail-safe valve member design reduces component count and simplifies the overall system, leading to lower production costs while maintaining ease of operation through automatic fail-safe return.
3Power
If a large-capacity drive motor is used, then sufficient power is available, but the sizes and weights of parts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heavy return spring and large-capacity drive motor from the system. The fail-safe valve member utilizes its own weight and gravitational force for automatic return, enabling the use of a significantly smaller and lighter drive motor while reducing the overall weight of moving parts in the valve assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs the valve member's own weight as a counterbalancing force that aids in the automatic return to the original position. This self-weight utilization acts as a natural counterweight mechanism, eliminating the need for additional heavy components and allowing for a compact, lightweight design.
4Reliability
If a return spring is used for fail-safe function, then the valve can return to original position, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the return spring mechanism and associated mounting structures, simplifying the overall valve design. The fail-safe valve member is designed with an integrated structure that automatically returns to its original position upon actuator failure, reducing the number of parts and simplifying the device structure while maintaining reliable fail-safe function.
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 enables reliable fail-safe operation without a separate return spring, allowing for reduced part size and weight, precise valve rotation, and reliable coolant flow management, even in the event of actuator malfunctions or abnormal temperature increases.
Implementation Method 1
a thermostat (50) having a wax (51) contracting or expanding depending on the temperature of coolant drawn into the internal space of the valve housing (10)
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein is a fail-safe coolant control valve. The fail-safe coolant control valve includes a valve housing, a valve member, an actuator, and a fail-safe unit. The valve housing is provided on an outer surface thereof with at least two ports. The valve housing has therein an internal space communicating with the ports. The valve member is rotatably installed in the internal space of the valve housing and rotates via an actuator. The fail-safe unit rotates the valve member depending on a temperature of a coolant in the valve housing when a failure occurs.