Exhaust Button Seal Mechanism for Saturation Diving Timepieces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diver's watches for saturation diving face issues with gas transmission into the timepiece exterior case and water ingress during the degassing process, leading to compromised airtightness and potential helium entry, especially under high pressure conditions.
Innovation Solution
A portable timepiece with a button mounting hole featuring multiple seal surfaces and escape portions, equipped with a shaft and seal members that move between sealing and exhaust positions, reducing gas transmission and accumulating water for subsequent expulsion during degassing, while maintaining airtightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single packing is used in the exhaust valve, then the structure is simple, but gas transmission and water ingress occur under saturation diving conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The single packing is divided into multiple packings (first packing and second packing) arranged in sequence along the axial direction. This segmentation creates multiple sealing interfaces that collectively prevent gas transmission and water ingress, thereby improving airtightness performance while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Different packings are positioned at different locations within the exhaust valve to address specific sealing needs. The first packing seals the interface between the button shaft and the valve body, while the second packing seals another critical interface, providing localized sealing quality where needed most
2Productivity
If the button is pushed in for exhaust operation, then gas can be discharged, but water may enter the timepiece exterior case after exhaust completion
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple packings are pre-installed in the exhaust valve structure to create sealed chambers. When the button is pushed for exhaust, these pre-positioned packings maintain sealing during the operation and automatically prevent water ingress when the button returns to its initial position, eliminating the need for additional water blocking actions
3Ease of operation
If the packing is not compressed by outside air pressure, then the exhaust valve operates smoothly, but helium gas transmission occurs under saturation diving
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust valve employs multiple packings that dynamically respond to pressure changes. During normal operation, the packings remain uncompressed to allow smooth button movement. Under saturation diving conditions with helium gas pressure, the packings are compressed by the pressure differential to create effective seals, thus adapting to different operational states
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 effectively mitigates gas transmission into the timepiece exterior assembly and prevents water ingress, ensuring enhanced airtightness and reliable degassing operations, even under saturation diving conditions.
Implementation Method 1
moved between a sealing position where they are held in contact with the seal surfaces with interference
Implementation Method 2
an urging member which urges the exhaust button toward the initial position
Data Source
AI summary
A portable timepiece has a timepiece exterior assembly with a button mounting hole having seal surfaces and escape portions. An exhaust button has a shaft portion and a button portion connected to the shaft portion and configured to be pushed inward from an exterior of the assembly. An urging member is provided between the button portion and the assembly for urging the exhaust button toward the exterior of the assembly. Seal members are mounted to the shaft portion in correspondence with the seal surfaces. The seal members undergo movement between a sealing position in which they are held in contact with the respective seal surfaces with interference through axial reciprocation of the exhaust button, and an exhaust position in which the seal members are opposed to the respective escape portions. In the sealing position, the seal members define a closed space formed by the shaft portion and the escape portions.