Expansion Valve Ring Spring Design for Balanced Vibration Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing thermal expansion valve design with non-uniform spring forces in its vibration isolation springs leads to uneven wear and potential deterioration of vibration isolation performance over time, complicating the design and causing harsh noise issues.
Innovation Solution
An expansion valve with a ring spring featuring equal elasticity moduli for its elastic protrusion portions, arranged around the actuation rod and valve body, providing balanced elastic force and preventing wear by applying both lateral and longitudinal restraining forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the spring force of one vibration isolation spring is set to be larger than the others, then the actuation rod is pressed against the inner wall to generate frictional resistance for vibration suppression, but uneven wear occurs at specific positions of the actuation rod and sliding contact portions, deteriorating vibration isolation performance over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the elastic protrusion portions have different shapes or sizes at different locations, while maintaining equal elasticity moduli. This allows each portion to provide appropriate local contact pressure for vibration suppression without causing uneven wear, as the equal elasticity moduli ensure uniform force distribution over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies homogeneity by setting the elasticity moduli of all elastic protrusion portions to be equal. This ensures that all portions wear uniformly over time, preventing the deterioration of vibration isolation performance and extending the service life of the expansion valve.
2Reliability
If the spring force of one vibration isolation spring is set to be larger than the others, then vibration suppression effect is enhanced, but the design of vibration isolation members becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves vibration suppression by creating local quality differences in the elastic protrusion portions through their shapes or sizes, while maintaining equal elasticity moduli. This simplifies the design process compared to adjusting spring forces, as it only requires geometric variations rather than complex force calculations and adjustments.
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 balanced spring design effectively suppresses vibrations and wear, maintaining consistent vibration isolation performance and simplifying the design by ensuring uniform elasticity across all protrusion portions.
Implementation Method 1
The ring spring includes a ring portion, at least three elastic protrusion portions that protrude inward from the ring portion and contact the outer circumferential surface of the actuation rod
Implementation Method 2
an outward protrusion portion that protrudes outward from the ring portion and contacting the inner circumferential surface of the valve body
Data Source
AI summary
It is an object of the present invention to provide an expansion valve with an improved ring spring.Accordingly, in the present invention, the expansion valve includes a valve body including a valve chamber, a valve element disposed in the valve chamber, a biasing member configured to bias the valve element toward a valve seat, an actuation rod that presses the valve element in a valve opening direction against a biasing force of the biasing member, and a ring spring disposed between an outer circumferential surface of the actuation rod and an inner circumferential surface of the valve body. The ring spring includes a ring portion, at least three elastic protrusion portions that protrude inward from the ring portion and contact the outer circumferential surface of the actuation rod, and at least one outward protrusion portion that protrudes outward from the ring portion and contacting the inner circumferential surface of the valve body.