Expansion Valve Bolt Groove Layout for Lower Material Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expansion valves in refrigeration systems require significant material for construction, particularly in the bolt fitting areas, which can lead to increased costs and potential corrosion issues due to retained moisture.
Innovation Solution
The expansion valve design features bolt fitting grooves at the boundary between the wider upper and narrower lower portions of the valve body, reducing material requirements and allowing for extrusion processing without additional drilling steps, while ensuring secure bolt seating and preventing moisture accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional bolt fitting holes are formed by drilling or cutting processes, then bolts can be securely fastened to the valve body, but the amount of material used increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion with a reduced width section in between. The bolt fitting grooves are positioned at this reduced width section, segmenting the structure to minimize material usage while maintaining functional integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of forming bolt fitting holes by drilling or cutting through the valve body (conventional approach), the invention uses groove-shaped recesses formed on the outer surface. This dimensional change from volumetric holes to surface grooves reduces material consumption and simplifies manufacturing.
2Ease of manufacture
If bolt fitting holes are formed by drilling or cutting processes, then bolts can be securely fastened, but manufacturing time and processing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The groove-shaped recesses for bolt fitting are formed as integral parts of the valve body structure during the extrusion process. This preliminary formation eliminates the need for subsequent drilling or cutting operations, reducing manufacturing steps and time.
Solution Approach 2:
The formation of the valve body structure and the bolt fitting grooves are merged into a single extrusion process. The grooves are created simultaneously with the main body, combining multiple manufacturing operations into one step.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional valve body design is used, then structural strength is maintained, but material usage and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body features a reduced width section with a specific width smaller than both the upper and lower portions. This local modification concentrates material where structurally necessary while reducing it where less strength is required, optimizing the strength-to-material ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove-shaped recesses provide curved surfaces for bolt seating, distributing stress more effectively than flat surfaces. The grooved geometry enhances structural integrity while using less material compared to traditional drilled holes.
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 design minimizes material usage, simplifies processing, reduces costs, and enhances corrosion resistance by allowing moisture to drip off, thus improving the overall efficiency and reliability of the expansion valve.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting a displacement of a diaphragm constituting a valve member driver provided in a valve body via a valve member drive rod to a valve member, to thereby move the valve member close to or away from the valve seat
Implementation Method 2
move the valve member close to or away from the valve seat in order to control a flow rate of a refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
An expansion valve for reducing the quantity of material required for the valve body by contriving the arrangement of bolt fitting grooves. In the expansion valve (20), displacement of a valve member driver (36) provided in the valve body (21) is transmitted to a valve member by a valve member drive rod (36f) and the valve opening is altered to control the flow rate of the refrigerant. The valve body (21) consists of a body upper portion (40) and a body lower portion (41) narrower than the body upper portion (40), and bolt fitting grooves (43, 43) opening in the flank of the valve body (21), preferably opening obliquely downward, are formed at the boundary (42) of the body upper portion (40) and the body lower portion (41). With such a layout, the material required at the boundary (42) can be reduced furthermore and the quantity of material required for the valve body (21) can be reduced furthermore, as a result. Since the opening width (minimum spatial dimension) w is smaller than the diameter of bolt, a seating surface is assured sufficiently around the bolt fitting groove (43) and the bolt does not drop off from the bolt fitting groove (43).