Double Check Valve Magnetic Guide Deflection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Double check valves tend to stick in an intermediate position under neutral pressure conditions, leading to uncontrolled overflow and failure to function as intended, due to the need for high return force to deflect the guide piece from this position.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a permanent magnet to generate a magnetic force that deflects the guide piece out of the intermediate position and into one of the blocking positions, eliminating the need for elastic springs and simplifying the design by providing a more suitable force characteristic that decreases with deflection, thereby stabilizing the blocking positions and destabilizing the intermediate position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring force is used to deflect the guide piece from the intermediate position, then the guide piece can be pushed into blocking positions, but a relatively high return force must be overcome to reach positions remote from the intermediate position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical spring force system with a magnetic force system. The permanent magnet generates a magnetic field that acts on the ferromagnetic guide piece, eliminating the need for elastic mechanical components. This substitution provides a more suitable force characteristic where the magnetic force decreases with deflection distance, making it easier to reach blocking positions while maintaining reliable prevention of intermediate position sticking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the force field from elastic (spring) to magnetic. By using a permanent magnet instead of a spring, the force characteristic changes from linearly increasing with deflection to decreasing with deflection. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient force near the intermediate position to prevent sticking, while requiring less force to complete the deflection to blocking positions.
2Reliability
If the guide piece is deflected far from the intermediate position to reach blocking positions, then reliable blocking is achieved, but a relatively high return force must be overcome
Solution Approach 1:
The permanent magnet system replaces the spring mechanism, providing a force field that naturally decreases with distance from the magnet. This eliminates the need to overcome increasingly high forces during deflection, as the magnetic force requirement is highest near the intermediate position and decreases as the guide piece approaches the blocking position, thereby simplifying the device while maintaining reliable blocking.
3Ease of operation
If neutral pressure conditions exist at the outlet side or inlets, then the double check valve may stick in an intermediate position, but this leads to uncontrolled overflow and failure to function
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the spring-based mechanical system with a permanent magnet-based magnetic field system, the patent achieves more reliable operation under neutral pressure conditions. The magnetic force provides a consistent destabilizing effect on the intermediate position regardless of pressure fluctuations, preventing sticking and ensuring the guide piece reliably transitions to blocking positions, thereby maintaining functional integrity across varying pressure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The permanent magnet provides a self-active force field that automatically prevents the guide piece from remaining in the intermediate position under neutral pressure conditions. The magnetic field continuously acts on the ferromagnetic guide piece, providing self-service prevention of sticking without requiring external intervention or complex additional mechanisms, thus ensuring reliable functionality across different pressure conditions.
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 magnetic force ensures reliable operation of the double check valve under difficult pressure conditions, preventing sticking and allowing for precise deflection between blocking positions, thus maintaining functional integrity even when pressure levels are neutral.
Implementation Method 1
the double check valve has a permanent magnet, and the guide piece and the permanent magnet are configured to deflect the guide piece, by way of a magnetic force created by the permanent magnet, from an intermediate position arranged between the blocking positions
Data Source
AI summary
A double check valve (100) includes a sleeve (10) with a first inlet opening (11), a second inlet opening (12), an outlet opening (13), and a guide piece (20). The guide piece (20) movable along the longitudinal axis (L) within the sleeve (10), by loading with a fluid-induced pressure, between a first blocking position (S1) and a second blocking position (S2) spaced therefrom, wherein each of the inlet openings (11, 12) is closed at least partly fluid-tightly by the guide piece (20) in one of the blocking positions (S1, S2). The double check valve (100) has a permanent magnet (30, 31, 32, 33), and the guide piece (20) and the permanent magnet (30, 31, 32, 33) are configured to magnetically deflect the guide piece (20) from an intermediate position (Z) arranged between the blocking positions (S1, S2) and/or from one of the two blocking positions (S1, S2).