Integrated Exhaust Valve Stopper for Accurate Pipe Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exhaust valves require multiple positioning and welding processes, leading to poor manufacturing efficiency, high costs, and decreased product accuracy due to numerous gaps and increased weight, which affects fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An exhaust valve with an integrally formed stopper having arc-shaped contact portions that reduces the number of components and fitting processes, ensuring improved manufacturing efficiency and accuracy by aligning the stopper and pipe body positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate first stopper and second stopper members are welded to the pipe body, then the exhaust valve can function properly with stoppers positioned upstream and downstream, but the manufacturing process requires two positioning and welding processes which decreases manufacturing efficiency and increases manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the first stopper and second stopper into a single integrated stopper member that includes both stoppers as integral parts. This eliminates the need for separate positioning and welding processes for two distinct components, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining the functional reliability of having stoppers at both upstream and downstream positions.
2Reliability
If separate first stopper and second stopper members are welded to the pipe body, then the exhaust valve can function properly, but two positioning and fitting mechanisms are required which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the first stopper and second stopper into a single stopper member with a through-hole structure, eliminating the need for two separate positioning and fitting mechanisms. This reduces device complexity while preserving the functional requirements of having stoppers at both ends of the pipe body.
3Ease of manufacture
If gaps are set for fitting and positioning separate stoppers into the pipe body, then the stoppers can be assembled, but the presence of multiple gaps decreases fitting accuracy and product accuracy after assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the first and second stoppers into a single integrated stopper member that is positioned and fitted as one unit. This eliminates multiple gaps that would be required for assembling separate stoppers, thereby improving fitting accuracy and overall product precision while maintaining ease of manufacture through the through-hole design.
4Ease of manufacture
If portions corresponding to stoppers are formed by cutting the pipe body, then the stoppers can be created, but a cutting process is required which increases manufacturing costs and a thick pipe body is needed which increases weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single integrated stopper member with a through-hole that can be positioned and fitted without requiring cutting operations. This eliminates the need for a thick pipe body to provide cutting margins, thereby reducing the weight of the exhaust valve while maintaining the functionality of having stoppers at both ends.
Data Source
AI summary
An exhaust valve includes a pipe body connecting an upstream pipe and a downstream pipe for exhaust, a valve plate disposed inside the pipe body in a state of being attached to a rotary shaft that rotates by drive of an actuator, the valve plate configured to rotate to open/close an exhaust flow path inside the pipe body, and a stopper fixed inside the pipe body. The stopper is a member including, formed integrally, a base portion including an insertion hole configured to receive insertion of the rotary shaft, a first contact portion extending along an inner peripheral surface of the pipe body on one side of the base portion upstream and downstream of the exhaust, and a second contact portion extending along the inner peripheral surface on another side of the base portion upstream and downstream of the exhaust, on a side opposite to the first contact portion.